Burke Nihill is in his sixth season with the Titans and his second as the team’s President and CEO. Prior to becoming President and CEO in May of 2020, he was elevated in February to Senior Vice President-Business Operations & Chief Legal Officer. He originally joined the organization as General Counsel in 2016 and was elevated to Vice President and General Counsel in 2019.
His first season as the team President and CEO was one of change and progress on many fronts. Taking over as President in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, he guided the franchise through a variety of challenges. The Titans were one of only 14 NFL teams to host fans for the majority of their games and it was the culmination of months of preparation to host fans safely. His work on the future for the franchise overlapped last year’s specific challenges, as he oversaw the work on the new expansion to the team’s practice facility and the remodeling of existing spaces in the original building. Additionally, Nihill has been at the forefront of the discussions with Metro Nashville government and the State of Tennessee about a potential development around the stadium campus and a re-imagined Nissan Stadium.
In his previous roles with the team, Nihill oversaw the club’s legal and human resources functions and worked on club initiatives related to state and local government, company culture, and general business planning and strategy for both the Titans and Nissan Stadium. During his time with the Titans, he has participated in the negotiation of club contracts with team sponsors, media rights partners, stadium vendors, and major concert and event promoters. Nihill was instrumental in Nashville’s effort to secure and execute the 2019 NFL Draft.
Before joining the Titans, Nihill gained 15 years of professional experience in several industries. He held legal and management roles at VMware, an international software company based in Silicon Valley. Prior to VMware, he served as Associate General Counsel at OfficeMax Incorporated and as a private attorney at a Chicago law firm.
Nihill received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Illinois Wesleyan University and his law degree with honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Nihill resides in Franklin, Tenn., with his wife, Holly, and their three children, Emma, Jack, and Chase.