Falcons Request Interview With Chicago Bears Executive

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly requested permission to speak with Ian Cunningham, the assistant general manager of the Chicago Bears. Jonathan Jones of CBS initially reported the news earlier this morning, but it has since been picked up by several sources around the league.

Cunningham is considered to be one of the hottest candidates for this upcoming cycle, and he was the first name included on Falcons OnSi’s initial hot board.

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He is instantly one of the intriguing candidates for the Falcons, having worked with the Ravens’ Ozzie Newsome (2008-2016) and the Eagles’ Howie Roseman (2017-2021) during his career, and helped both win a Super Bowl during his time there. Cunningham cut his teeth as a scout before becoming the assistant general manager for the Bears in 2022, but he has touched nearly every aspect of front operations in his 18 years in the NFL.

Cunningham was the director of college scouting in Philadelphia (2017-2018), assistant director of player personnel (2019-2020), and director of player personnel (2021). When he was in Baltimore, he spent nine seasons as a player personnel assistant (2008-2012) and area scout (2013-2016).

In 2020, he was included on a list of The Athletic’s ‘40 under 40,’ for those considered to be rising stars in the NFL. By 2025, Cunningham had played a central role in the turnaround of the Bears and their run to the playoffs and their first NFC North title since 2018.

The Falcons parted ways with general manager Terry Fontenot after five seasons and a combined record of 37-48. According to the team, the Sportsology Group will assist with the search for the team’s next general manager.

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General manager roles do not come open very often, and the team is going to be judicious in its approach following several major structural changes to the organization. The first major hurdle will be hiring a new president of football, and many have speculated that this could be the role for former MVP-winning quarterback Matt Ryan. That news may be coming over the next few days.

It is worth noting that Ryan reportedly has a strong relationship with Ryan Poles (current general manager in Chicago), meaning there could be a good tie-in for Cunningham in Atlanta.

This interview request is sure to be the first of many announcements.