The Atlanta Falcons’ offseason has made some substantial waves for the organization. They hired former Pro Bowl and MVP quarterback Matt Ryan as their president of football operations, then hired former Cleveland Browns and two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski to lead the team. Now adding to an already stacked staff, they’re bringing former Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham on board.
Falcons Hire Ian Cunningham To Be New GM
The Atlanta Falcons announced on Jan. 29 that they had hired former Bears general manager Ian Cunningham to their front office. Cunningham spent four years with the Chicago Bears from 2022 to 2025, serving as the assistant general manager. Now he’ll have the opportunity to be at the helm in Atlanta.
Cunningham was also on the front office staff in Philadelphia for the Eagles before he was in Chicago. While working for the Eagles, they won a Super Bowl in the 2017 season, defeating the New England Patriots in what is now known as the “Philly Special” game.
It was reported by the Falcons that Matt Ryan spoke on the hire, “It was evident through our rigorous interview process Ian was the right choice for our general manager position. 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.
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“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’s Work With the Bears Offers Hope to the Falcons
Ian Cunningham can change the future of the Falcons Franchise because of his track record as an assistant. In Chicago, he assisted in acquiring players like Safety Kevin Byard and edge rusher Montez Sweat, both Pro Bowl players. The Bears have had one of the league’s best defenses for a number of years. They also have one of the better offenses with quarterback Caleb Williams, who has emerged as one of the best young players in the NFL.
Cunningham could revamp the Falcons’ roster by bringing in more talent. More so on an already stellar defense. Atlanta already has a lot of great players, and Cunningham could capitalize on that as he has before in Chicago. He has an eye for talent as a scout as well. The main priority is getting players healthy and adding to position groups that struggled a bit during the season, such as the secondary, which dealt with many injuries.
Cunningham is an Atlanta native, and that passion for the team could carry over on the field and in how they are assembled. The Falcons reported that Cunningham spoke on being hired, saying, “It’s truly an honor to be the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons and I couldn’t be more thankful to Arthur Blank, Matt Ryan, Greg Beadles, Josh Blank and the entire search committee for believing in me.
“As a Falcons fan growing up in Roswell when the Dirty Birds were rolling, the Braves were on fire, and the city was hosting the Summer Olympics, I lived the passion of Atlanta sports fans, and I can’t wait to be part of bringing that fire and energy back to the city. It’s been incredible to build a relationship with Matt over the last several weeks and to have an immediate connection with Kevin.
“I can’t wait to work with both of these great football minds to put a team on the field everyone will be very excited about. We all share the same vision for what the Atlanta Falcons should and will be and it’s time to work.” Cunningham seems to be a good fit for the franchise given his experience. Time will tell how he shapes the team now and in the future.
