Ian Cunningham is the new Falcons GM
Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham speaks about the upcoming NFL draft on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)With the Chicago Bears eliminated from the playoffs, Atlanta moved quickly to line up their new general manager. That would be Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, who steps into his new role as Falcons GM reporting to Matt Ryan and working with freshly minted head coach Kevin Stefanski to try to build this team into a winner.
Cunningham was a reported favorite for the job before either Matt Ryan or Kevin Stefanski were even hired, but the GM process was slowed as the Falcons focused on getting Stefanski on board and waiting for playoff teams to be bounced. There were likely other factors we weren't privy to, as well, but the net effect is that the GM is joining behind his new colleagues and looking to hit the ground running.
Fortunately, Cunningham seems capable of doing just that. The new GM, who grew up as a Falcons fan in Roswell and thus understands our pain, joins up with a strong background that features time in scouting and stints with the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, and Bears; he was part of Super Bowl winners with Philly and Baltimore. Bears GM Ryan Poles has credited him for being an assistant who delivers good insights, hold Poles accountable for his thinking and decisions, and is willing to challenge decision-makers. The most notable decision, one that Poles notes, is that Cunningham prevented him from trading up for Rome Odunze, arguing that he'd fall to the Bears as he ultimately did. For a franchise that has been crazy about trading up for close to 20 years, patience is music to my ears.
The hope and expectation is that he'll be able to translate that into a good relationship with Ryan and Stefanski, but one where he has zero qualms about trusting his own evaluations and pushing back on pressure from other parts of the organization. We want, above all, a competent general manager who feels empowered to guide the direction of this team without muddying or meddling.
Ryan, who has vowed to enable his new general manager and head coach, is reportedly good friends with former Boston College teammate Poles and would have likely received a glowing recommendation for Cunningham from him. He had this to say in the team's story about the hire:
It was evident through our rigorous interview process Ian was the right choice for our general manager position,' said Ryan. His vision for our team and organization aligned exactly with the type of leader we were seeking to help take the Falcons to the next level. Throughout Ian's career, including Super Bowl championships in Baltimore and Philadelphia, Ian has demonstrated the drive and focus it takes to build championship contenders and put them in the position to win games. We love his broad and deep experience across every aspect of talent evaluation and know he's learned from some of the best in the league. Pairing him with Coach Stefanski is exciting for us, and we can't wait to see them bring our shared vision to life in everything we do starting right now."
Cunningham entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent for the Chiefs back in 2008, though he did not make their roster. He jumped into a personnel assistant job with the Ravens that same season and spent eight years with the organization, transitioning to area scout in 2013. The Eagles then hired him as the director of college scouting in 2017 and he quickly climbed the ranks, moving to assistant director of player personnel in 2019 and director of player personnel in 2021. The Bears then scooped him up as Ryan Poles' assistant general manager in 2022, where he's been ever since. The background in scouting and scouting college players in particular is welcome, given that this team needs to build through the draft even with limited resources to do so with in 2026.
Where we can trace Cunningham's influence most clearly is with Philadelphia, where he was director of college scouting for two years when the Eagles took Derek Barnett, Rasul Douglas, Dallas Goedert, Josh Sweat, and Jordan Mailata. Notably, Philadelphia had just five picks in 2018 and came away with Goedert, Avonte Maddox, Sweat, Mailata, and Matt Pryor; those five players combined have started nearly 500 games in the pros. Based on the evidence and the anecdotes, Cunningham's draft chops are probably the reason I'm most excited by his hire, given that good organizations often build their cores in April, not March.
While you never really know how general managers are going to fare in their first gig, Cunningham has a wealth of experience across multiple competent organizations and comes to Atlanta highly lauded by those who know him. That's going to matter because Cunningham is joining an organization hungry to win about a full month after the season ended, with events like the Senior Bowl already underway-to be fair, he was there for the Bears-and a pivotal (when is it not?) offseason looming. If Cunningham can fill some of the outsized holes on this roster, build better depth, and set this team up for a better 2026 and well beyond, he'll be a very popular hire indeed. The Falcons are bringing him aboard as the first consequential front office hire of Matt Ryan's tenure because they believe he can.