Last week, everything seemed to be lining up. Matt Ryan was becoming the new president of football operations for the Atlanta Falcons. He is a great friend of Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles. The Falcons needed a new general manager. Ian Cunningham had worked with Poles for years. It seemed like a natural fit. Both sides met. Nothing seemed amiss. However, silence has since followed. Nobody is sure what is happening in Atlanta. Recent updates indicate it isn’t looking good for Cunningham.
According to Ricky Scoops, one of the most accurate NFL insiders on Twitter (X), the Falcons currently favor San Francisco 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, with the idea of possibly pairing him with Robert Saleh as the new head coach. Cunningham is not mentioned at all. This indicates the Bears assistant GM has either fallen out of favor or has gotten cold feet about joining the Falcons. Either way, it sounds like his time in Chicago isn’t over yet.
Ian Cunningham backing out seems the most likely.
A big reason for this stems from the unusual structure the Falcons have selected for their front office. Thanks to Ryan’s appointment, he is now the organization’s top football decision-maker. That means whoever becomes the GM won’t be seen as such. Cunningham would basically get a title-only promotion, with no real power to go with it. He’d still answer to Ryan. How would that be appealing to him? He’s turned down opportunities with far greater incentives than what Atlanta now offers.
Truth be told, this development is a blessing in disguise for the Bears. Had Ian Cunningham taken the job, not only would they have lost one of their top executives, but they likely wouldn’t have received two compensatory 3rd round picks in return since it wouldn’t have been considered a “promotion.” In addition, Cunningham’s calming presence will keep Poles’ more aggressive urges in check moving forward as the Bears continue building their roster towards possible contention.
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