Quick Facts: Tennessee Titans
| Current Owner | Amy Adams Strunk (Controlling Owner) |
| Ownership Type | Private (family trust) |
| Controlling Owner Since | 2018 |
| Founded | 1959, as the Houston Oilers (AFL) |
| Founder | K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr. |
| Moved to Tennessee | 1997 (renamed Titans, 1999) |
| Ownership Structure | Adams family trust, multiple family members hold stakes |
Who Owns the Tennessee Titans?
Amy Adams Strunk has been the Tennessee Titans’ controlling owner since 2018, taking the lead role in a family ownership structure that traces back to her father, franchise founder Bud Adams.
Bud Adams founded the team in 1959 as the Houston Oilers, one of the original American Football League franchises, before relocating the team to Tennessee in 1997 and renaming it the Titans in 1999.
Following Adams’ death in 2013, ownership passed to his family, but determining a single controlling owner took years — his daughters and grandchildren held competing claims and disagreements over the franchise’s direction before the NFL formally recognized Amy Adams Strunk as controlling owner in 2018.
Other family members, including her sister Susie Adams Smith and various nieces and nephews, continue to hold ownership stakes in the trust structure, even though Amy Adams Strunk holds final decision-making authority recognized by the league.
Tennessee Titans Ownership History
| Year | Event | Owner / Key Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Founded as Houston Oilers | Bud Adams | Founding AFL franchise |
| 1997 | Relocates to Tennessee | Bud Adams | Renamed Titans in 1999 |
| 2013 | Bud Adams dies | Adams family (disputed control) | Years of family disagreement follow |
| 2018–Present | Amy Adams Strunk named controlling owner | Amy Adams Strunk | NFL formally recognizes her authority |
About the Adams Family
Bud Adams was one of the founding owners of the American Football League itself in 1959, part of the small group that challenged the NFL’s dominance before the two leagues eventually merged in 1970.
Amy Adams Strunk has focused heavily on modernizing the franchise since taking control, including major investment in a new stadium project in Nashville, while navigating a family ownership structure that remains more complex than the NFL’s typical single-owner model.
Key Ownership Highlights
- The franchise predates the NFL merger: Bud Adams co-founded the AFL itself in 1959, making the team one of pro football’s genuine “original” ownership stories.
- Succession took five years to formally resolve: from Bud Adams’ 2013 death to Amy Adams Strunk’s 2018 recognition as controlling owner, reflecting real family disagreement over the team’s direction.
- Ownership remains a family trust structure, not a single individual: multiple Adams family members hold stakes even though Amy Adams Strunk has final authority.
- The team has had three identities in one continuous franchise history: Houston Oilers, then Tennessee Oilers (1997-1998), then Tennessee Titans from 1999 onward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the Tennessee Titans?
Amy Adams Strunk, who has served as controlling owner since 2018.
Who founded the franchise?
K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr., who founded the team in 1959 as the Houston Oilers.
Why did it take years to determine the Titans’ controlling owner?
Following Bud Adams’ 2013 death, his family disagreed over control before the NFL formally recognized Amy Adams Strunk in 2018.
When did the team move to Tennessee?
1997, later renamed the Titans in 1999.
Are other Adams family members still involved in ownership?
Yes, several family members hold stakes in the ownership trust alongside Amy Adams Strunk.
