What's next for dysfunctional Titans family?

I think it's safe to say the Adams family's Thanksgiving dinner doesn't exactly resemble a Norman Rockwell painting.

The events of the past week have given us insight into the level of dysfunction surrounding the extended family of late Titans founder Bud Adams. We knew it was a mess. But we had no idea how big a mess.

There's less backstabbing in a Shakespeare tragedy.

A couple of weeks ago, Tommy Smith seemed comfortable in his role as president/CEO of the Titans. He even made the Nashville sports radio rounds and talked about how things were going to improve with both the Titans' on-field and off-field operations.

A few days later, he was the target of a palace coup that effectively ended his involvement with the organization beyond the one-third stake his wife, Susie Adams Smith, has in the team. He went from being the leader of the franchise to persona non grata.

Those with working knowledge of the situation are not all that surprised. They say it was only a matter of time before the family turned on itself.

Apparently, matriarch Nancy Adams was able to maintain some degree of order within the family until her death in February 2009. After that, things fell apart.

For one thing, it's no secret that Smith and his father-in-law were not close during Bud's later years. There are stories out there that the two would not dine within eyeshot of each other.

Look, family squabbles are nothing new. All of us, regardless of our tax brackets, have issues. Normally, though, our dirty laundry is not aired so publicly. Then again, most of our families are not in possession of an NFL franchise.

Smith's hasty "retirement" with the Titans was the result of a family feud, one that very well could lead to the sale of the team in the not-too-distant future.

As long as Bud Adams was alive, the franchise was off-limits to potential buyers. It would have to be pried from his cold, dead hands.

Seventeen months after his death, it's just another corporate entity that is jointly held by three heirs and might be available if the price is right. And that price could be in the neighborhood of $2 billion.

It's interesting that the family members apparently could agree on one thing: Bringing back Steve Underwood to oversee day-to-day operations. Underwood long was a trusted lieutenant to Bud Adams. He was his chief legal counsel and one of his confidantes.

Beyond that, Underwood is a smart man with great people skills and remarkable common sense — characteristics this organization desperately lacks.

I suspect Underwood was brought out of retirement with two objectives: Stabilize things in the short term and get the franchise positioned for sale in the longer term.

For his part, Underwood told Tennessean beat writer Jim Wyatt the team is not for sale. Fine. But with so much instability, I contend that everything is subject to change. And that includes ownership of the team.

Besides, if you're trying to get top dollar for something, what do you do? Say it's not for sale, of course.

As far as potential buyers are concerned, can we please dismiss this idea that Jimmy Haslam somehow might wind up owning the Titans? This just in: Haslam owns the Cleveland Browns and is running them from his base of operations at Pilot/Flying J headquarters in Knoxville.

Even so, some people simply can't let go of the idea that the owner of one NFL franchise could swap it for another. This isn't like trading football cards. It's not quite as simple as giving up a couple of draft picks and a player to be named later in order to exchange one team for another.

Ownership by Haslam would only take this franchise from bad to worse. On Haslam's watch, the Browns have been a dumpster fire. It's one of the very few NFL organizations that is more poorly run than the Titans.

Besides, Haslam is worried about two other things right now:

What is he going to do about Johnny Manziel?

Is he going to escape the federal investigation of Pilot/Flying J relatively unscathed?

Not necessarily in that order.

David Climer's columns appear on Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. Reach him at 615-259-8020 and on Twitter @DavidClimer.