The Atlanta Falcons have quickly locked in their new leadership at the top heading into the 2026 offseason. While the Falcons found their 20th head coach in franchise history by hiring Kevin Stefanski, they also interviewed six candidates for the vacant general manager post. Recently, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was called to Atlanta for an in-person meeting. Now, ESPN sources further revealed that the visit appears to have sealed the deal.

“ESPN sources: Falcons are hiring Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham as their general manager,” NFL insider Adam Schefter reported via X on January 29.

The move adds an interesting layer of familiarity for the Falcons. It was at Boston College that Bears GM Ryan Poles previously served as a guard with Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan. Ever since, Poles and Ryan have stayed close over the years. Now, Ryan is reportedly bringing Poles’ trusted right-hand man to Atlanta to help shape his franchise’s future.

Ian Cunningham brings an impressive résumé with him. The Athletic previously named him to its NFL “50 Under 40” list, and he was also a finalist for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ GM job in 2024. Cunningham also began his NFL front-office career with the Baltimore Ravens back in 2008 as a player personnel assistant, steadily climbing the ladder over the next several years.

After five seasons as Baltimore’s player personnel assistant, Ian Cunningham worked as a southeast area scout from 2013 to 2014 before expanding his responsibilities as a southeast/southwest area scout from 2015 to 2016. Those early years helped shape Cunningham’s eye for talent and long-term roster building.

The 40-year-old then joined the Philadelphia Eagles from 2017 to 2021, gaining experience as a player personnel and college scout. He was also part of Super Bowl-winning teams with the Ravens in 2013 and the Eagles in 2018. His time working under former Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and Eagles GM Howie Roseman further exposed Cunningham to two very different but successful approaches to team building. 

During a YouTube interview with Ari Meirov in 2022, Ian Cunningham explained how those mentors shaped his philosophy. Cunningham said that Roseman taught him the importance of analytics and salary-cap management after he learned humility and “leading with grace” from Newsome. 

In Chicago, Cunningham played a role in nearly every aspect of the organization, including the decision to hire head coach Ben Johnson and draft quarterback Caleb Williams. Now, Cunningham steps into a Falcons organization desperate for a reset. Earlier this month, the Falcons fired former HC Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot after years of mediocrity. 

Fontenot failed to produce a winning season in five years, while Morris led the team to back-to-back 8–9 finishes. The Falcons haven’t reached the playoffs or posted a winning record since 2017. Simply put, change was overdue in Atlanta. 

Following those departures, Atlanta reworked its organizational structure and hired franchise legend Matt Ryan as president of football operations earlier this month. Cunningham will report directly to Ryan, although Ryan has been clear about how responsibilities will be divided.

“The general manager role is going to be the same as what it’s been here before,” Ryan said during his introductory press conference. “That’s something we’ve made clear to everybody on the coaching side… and we’ll make clear through that process to the general managers that we’re going to look at in that process as well.”

Ryan has repeatedly emphasized that both the new GM and HC will retain full autonomy, with his role focused on support and structure rather than day-to-day personnel decisions in Atlanta. Meanwhile, in Chicago, Ian Cunningham’s move leaves a vacant assistant GM position for the team while heading into the 2026 offseason.

Why did the Bears let Ian Cunningham go to Atlanta?

Earlier reports had suggested that the Bears would not receive two third-round compensatory picks, which the NFL awards a team when its minority executives earn promotions elsewhere. Ian Cunningham would fit that requirement if he accepted a GM position elsewhere. So, the Bears could have blocked the Falcons from hiring Cunningham, but that outcome always seemed unlikely. 

As Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times first reported and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune later confirmed, those compensatory picks for NFL teams only apply if the departing executive becomes the primary decision-maker with his new team. But since the Falcons designated Matt Ryan for that role earlier this month, Cunningham’s hire does not trigger the compensation.

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Besides, Dianna Russini of The Athletic also reported earlier this month that Ryan Poles had been assisting Matt Ryan throughout the GM search process in Atlanta.

“It’s widely believed around the NFL that Matt Ryan will indeed become the Falcons’ new president of football. Ryan & Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles are very close friends… I’m told Poles has been helping Ryan with the entire hiring process,” Russini reported via X on January 9.

In the end, Poles helped guide a process that ultimately elevated one of his closest confidants. It’s a rare instance of cooperation across franchises, but it remains to be seen whether Ian Cunningham can bring more success for the Falcons next season.