The Chicago Bears have moved another step closer to potentially losing one of the top-ranking executives in Ryan Poles’ front office for the 2026 season.
Ahead of the NFL Conference Championship Weekend, the Atlanta Falcons announced they completed an interview with Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for the GM vacancy in their front office under newly hired President of Football Matt Ryan.
“We have completed an interview with Ian Cunningham for our general manager opening,” The Falcons wrote on their official X account on Friday, January 23.
Cunningham had previously interviewed with the Falcons for the President of Football job that ultimately went to Ryan, who is leading the team’s general manager search. He also interviewed for several other GM or executive posts over the past three offseasons, turning down an offer to become the next GM of the Arizona Cardinals in 2023.
The Falcons have also announced interviews with five other GM candidates, including former New York Jets boss Joe Douglas and James Liipfert, a rising star in Houston.
Connections May Help Ian Cunningham’s GM Pursuit
The Falcons seem likely to decide on their next general manager in the next several days after interviewing six GM candidates in two days last week. But even with competition, Cunningham might still have the inside track on the job — thanks to his connections.
Poles, the Bears’ fifth-year GM, brought Cunningham with him when he took the job in Chicago in 2022 and has trusted in him as his right-hand man ever since. Poles is also a close friend of Ryan, who played with him at Boston College, and has been helping him with “the entire hiring process” in Atlanta, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
That does not mean that Poles’ influence guarantees that Cunningham will get the job in Atlanta, but it does make him a likely frontrunner for the job. After all, if Ryan trusts Poles, and Poles trusts Cunningham, there is logic in a Ryan-Cunningham partnership.
Insiders: Ian Cunningham Won’t Net Bears Draft Picks
Bears fans have been bracing for the eventuality of Cunningham leaving for a GM job with another franchise, but one of their biggest reasons for hoping he departs — the reward of two third-round compensatory draft picks — might not factor in this time.
Under the NFL’s Rooney Rule, a team that develops a minority employee and then loses him or her to a top leadership position — a head coach or GM job — with another team receives two third-round compensatory picks in each of the next two drafts. So, for the Bears, losing Cunningham would net them an extra third-rounder in 2026 and 2027.
Unfortunately, two Bears insiders have reported that it would not happen in this case.
Citing league sources, The Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley reported on January 10 that the Bears would not receive comp picks if the Falcons hire Cunningham to their GM position because “New President of Football Matt Ryan is considered the primary decision-maker there.” The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs also confirmed this reality.
“The Bears won’t receive draft picks if Cunningham is hired for that job because recently hired president of football Matt Ryan is deemed to be “primary football executive” for the Falcons,” Biggs wrote on January 23. “Because of that distinction, the Bears could block Cunningham from leaving if they wanted to.”
Given Poles’ role in it all, though, it seems unlikely he would block one of his friends from hiring another, even if it would favor his franchise for him to take another job.
Falcons Announce Ian Cunningham News Amid Bears’ Speculation