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The Atlanta Falcons have named Ian Cunningham their new general manager, the team announced Thursday. Cunningham joins the Falcons after four seasons as assistant general manager with the Chicago Bears, where he helped build a roster that won the NFC North title in 2025. He will report directly to Matt Ryan, the team’s president of football operations.
Ian Cunningham named general manager of Atlanta Falcons
Cunningham, 38, has been part of two Super Bowl-winning organizations. Before joining the Chicago Bears in 2022, he was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles front office, where he contributed to the franchise's first Super Bowl victory in 2017. He has also worked in college scouting and player personnel roles for the Eagles and held positions with the Baltimore Ravens earlier in his career.
“It was evident through our rigorous interview process Ian was the right choice,” Ryan said in a statement. “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.”
During his tenure in Chicago, Cunningham helped acquire several key contributors, including Kevin Byard, Montez Sweat, Joe Thuney, and Drew Dalman. Under his personal guidance, the Bears finished sixth in the league in total offense in 2025.
“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 and the entire search committee for believing in me,” Cunningham said. “As a Falcons fan growing up in Roswell, I can’t wait to help bring that fire and energy back to the city.”
Cunningham replaces Terry Fontenot, who parted ways with the organization earlier this offseason.
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