The Falcons cleaned house after another disappointing season in the Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris era. They found their head coach in Kevin Stefanski to take a talented roster to the level the organization expected.
Now, they have their general manager to pair with Stefanski in this new era. The Falcons have landed Ian Cunningham. Here is what to know about the newest member of the organization.
Who Is Ian Cunningham?
Cunningham is the Falcons’ next general manager. A new era has begun in Atlanta.
Cunningham grew up in Texas and attended Hebron Academy in Carrollton, Texas. He has been around athletics his entire life. He is cousins with tennis legend Arthur Ashe, and his father was an agent at a firm that represented many top athletes. After finding success as a high school offensive lineman, he pursued his dream of reaching the NFL.
NEWS: The Atlanta Falcons are hiring Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham as their next GM, per source.
Cunningham has spent the past four seasons working with Bears GM Ryan Poles, a key voice for new Falcons president of football Matt Ryan. pic.twitter.com/YUpQXU0FYn
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 30, 2026
Cunningham’s path to the league began at the University of Virginia, where he played college football as an offensive lineman. He saw limited action early in his career with the Cavaliers but did enough to earn an opportunity as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs. He did not make the roster and never appeared in an NFL game.
READ MORE: Top 100 2026 NFL Free Agent Rankings
That experience led him into a front-office career. In 2008, Cunningham joined the Baltimore Ravens as an assistant and worked his way up to an area scout. He earned his first Super Bowl ring when the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers. Eventually, another opportunity arose with a promotion, prompting a move.
Cunningham remained in the Northeast, becoming the director of college scouting for the Eagles. His time in Philadelphia included multiple roles in the front office and culminated in a second Super Bowl championship. He was part of the Eagles team that defeated Tom Brady in the championship game.
Chicago later sought help to rebuild and hired Ryan Poles as general manager. Poles brought Cunningham aboard as his right-hand man. Cunningham played a key role in the Bears’ turnaround and eventually emerged as a strong general manager candidate.
The Falcons selected him from that pool. Cunningham has close ties to Matt Ryan, as Poles played offensive line for Ryan at Boston College. The relationships between Ryan, Poles and Cunningham helped bring the deal together.
Bears GM Ryan Poles was Falcons president of football Matt Ryan’s guard at Boston College. The two have remained close, and now Ryan is bringing Poles’ right-hand man in Chicago, Ian Cunningham, to Atlanta to become his GM. https://t.co/aLyRNAYOQF
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 30, 2026
Cunningham now has a significant task ahead. He is paired with a widely respected head coach in Stefanski and inherits a roster with talent across the field.
Bijan Robinson is a dynamic weapon in the backfield, ranking No. 5 in PFSN’s RB Impact score. Drake London remains a matchup nightmare for defenses, and the team features promising young pieces on defense. However, the Falcons have underperformed for years, and Cunningham will be expected to deliver for a franchise eager to return to the playoffs.
