Atlanta Falcons Reportedly Zeroing In On A General Manager

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons are zeroing in on a general manager, highlighting a pair of potential finalists for the position, according to several NFL insiders.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated says that Ian Cunningham of the Chicago Bears and James Liipfert of the Houston Texans are the two people who will interview for the role in person this week.

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Cunningham, who was also a finalist for the president of football role that went to Matt Ryan earlier this month, has long been believed to be the front-runner for the position. He and Liipfert were two of the six candidates under consideration for the general manager position.

This pair of candidates has both been consistently part of teams that succeed in the regular season and have combined to win four Super Bowls.

Cunning, who is currently the assistant general manager of the Bears, cut his teeth with the Ravens and Eagles before taking his current position with the Chicago. His time with Howie Roseman and Ozzie Newsome gave him a front-row seat to how some of the best organizations run.

Cunningham has since played a central role with the new-look team that won the NFC North for only the second time in the last 15 years. He was on the team that hired Ben Johnson and made critical drafting decisions.

In addition to his resume, Cunningham has a connection to the Falcons. He is the No. 2 in Chicago under Ryan Poles, who played football with Ryan at Boston College. Ryan and Poles remain close.

Liipfert, who is also a Georgia native and former Georgia Tech linebacker in the 2000s, just finished his first season as the Texans’ assistant general manager. Before his current position, he was the executive director of player personnel and the assistant director of personnel/director of college scouting in Houston. He has been with the Texans since 2018, and his draft success is likely a key factor in his candidacy.

He played a central role in acquiring notable draftees throughout the selection process. He secured top picks Will Anderson Jr., Derek Stingley Jr., and C.J. Stroud, and mid-round players Nico Collins, Henry To’oTo’o, and Jonathan Greenard.

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Before his time in Houston, Liipfert spent nine seasons with the Patriots as a scout (two years as an assistant, four years as an area scout, and three as a national scout). He joined the organization straight out of college.

“I feel like we're in a really good space in terms of where we're at in the GM search,” Matt Ryan said Tuesday. “I feel like our process has been really good. I think we've made really strong progress.”

Both will speak with the Falcons in person over the coming days, and Breer reports that the final decision could come later this week.