The Atlanta Falcons have already gotten started on lining up head coaching interviews, with requests in to the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks for Anthony Weaver and Klint Kubiak, respectively. Now
we’ve gotten word that they have reached out to the Chicago Bears to interview assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for their open GM gig.
CBS Sports reporter Jonathan Jones is the first one on it. Suffice to say this is not a surprise.
Cunningham was the first name we heard linked to the opening after it became clear the team would fire GM Terry Fontenot, which they did after their final game of the season on Sunday. Cunningham works closely with Bears GM Ryan Poles, who was college teammates with former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, a widely reported candidate for Atlanta’s new president of football position.
But it’s about more than just a link. Cunningham is extremely deserving of an extended look, with a background as a personnel assistant and area scout for the Ravens (2008-2016), the director of college scouting, assistant director of player personnel, and director of player personnel in order for the Ravens (2017-2021), and the assistant general manager for the Bears. All three of those franchises have added significant talent during Cunningham’s stints, and he was interviewed in the last couple of cycles, though he ultimately didn’t land his first general manager gig.
Poles has praised his deputy repeatedly, singling him out as somebody who challenges him on decisions and helps keep the front office working together effectively.
“I am blessed out of my socks to have him by my side through this process,” Poles said of Cunningham back in April. “Just especially, when you reflect back to the first two years getting this thing off the ground. To have a guy like him that’s not a ‘yes’ man that keeps me in line when I start getting off track, to keep our staff together when I get pulled in different directions, we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for Ian, as well as being there and being an unbelievable partner.”
Cunningham looks like the favorite for the job based on reporting to this point, Poles’ estimation of him and connection to Ryan, and his background in college scouting, with this team needing to be effective in the draft to try to build and sustain a winner. We’ll see who else emerges in the coming days as a candidate, but no one should be surprise if Cunningham ends up as the Falcons’ new general manager.
