The Chicago Bears won their first playoff game in 15 years on Saturday night, but success in the NFL always comes at some sort of cost.
Often the price teams pay for coming up like the Bears have during the 2025 regular and postseason is losing key franchise figures to competing organizations, be those players, coaches or front office members. In Chicago’s case, one of the most likely and imminent departures of that nature is assistant general manager Ian Cunningham.
Cunningham, who has helped Ryan Poles design the Bears’ turnaround, is a strong candidate who has already interviewed for the open general manager position with the Atlanta Falcons. That franchise just hired its former longtime quarterback Matt Ryan as President of Football. Ryan played with Cunningham at Boston College, where the two were friends.
Ryan’s hire probably increases the chances that Cunningham gets the job in Atlanta, and it certainly doesn’t hurt the possibility of that outcome. However, the Bears will receive meaningful compensation from the league in the form of draft capital if Cunningham leaves the Windy City for the NFC South.
“Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham interviewed for [the Falcons] job and will be considered for the GM job there,” Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times reported Saturday. “He connects to Matt Ryan through Ryan Poles; the two were buddies at Boston College. If Cunningham gets hired by Falcons, [the] Bears would get 3rd-round picks in consecutive years.”
Ian Cunningham Has Impressive Resumé for NFL GM Position
GettyThe Atlanta Falcons have hired Matt Ryan as President of Football.
Cunningham has actually already turned down a chance to run an NFL franchise, passing on the Arizona Cardinals job in 2023.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports detailed Cunningham’s credentials to become a GM on January 3.
“[Cunningham] played football at Virginia and had a cup of coffee with the [Kansas City] Chiefs before turning to the personnel side of things,” Jones wrote. “He grew up under Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore where he won one Super Bowl, then hopped to Philadelphia under Howie Roseman where he won another ring. And since 2022, he has been at the right hand of Ryan Poles rebuilding the Chicago Bears into [a] potential Super Bowl contender.”
Jones noted that Cunningham has also been a finalist for GM jobs with the Washington Commanders and Jacksonville Jaguars in recent years.
“[Cunningham has] seen old- and new-school approaches to scouting and team building. He’s been instrumental introducing new technologies and processes in Chicago,” Jones continued. “Cunningham has played, scouted colleges and pros, been part of a major draft trade, evaluated a No. 1 quarterback, been part of a head-coaching search, won Super Bowls and led turnarounds.”
Bears Will Pick 4 Times in First 3 Rounds of Upcoming NFL Draft if Ian Cunningham Leaves for Falcons
GettyChicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson.
After winning in the Wild Card Round over the Green Bay Packers, Chicago can’t pick any higher than No. 25 in the upcoming draft.
The Bears currently hold seven picks in the draft, including Nos. 25, 57 and 89 in the first, second and third rounds, respectively.
If Cunningham leaves for Atlanta, Chicago will get a compensatory third-rounder in 2026, which will fall somewhere around pick No. 100 and another in the same range in 2027.
Bears Will Acquire 2 Quality Draft Picks if Key Franchise Figure Departs