FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons are in search of their next general manager. The organization parted ways with Terry Fontenot after its final game of the 2025 season. Falcons leadership began the hunt to find his successor with the assistance of ZRG Partners and Sportsology Group.

The Atlanta Falcons editorial staff will document that process extensively in this general manager tracker.

The Falcons will announce these interviews after they are completed with each candidate. We'll provide those updates here, along with relevant information and background about each candidate.

The NFL has specific rules for how and when teams can conduct these interviews. They are outlined here.

We've compiled everything you need to know about the Falcons' search for the organization's next general manager in one easy location.

First interview date: Thursday, Jan. 22

Second interview date: Thursday, Jan. 29

Current role: Liipfert became the Houston Texans' assistant general manager in 2025.

Resume highlights:

• This season, the Texans went 12-5 and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Houston has made a postseason run in five of the eight years with Liipfert on staff.
• Liipfert has been with the Texans since 2018 and served as the director of college scouting until his latest promotion. During Liipfert's tenure, the Texans have drafted notable players such as edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., quarterback C.J. Stroud and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
• Prior to joining the Texans, Liipfert worked for the New England Patriots for nine seasons. He started as a scouting assistant (2009-10), then became an area scout (2011-14) and finished as a national scout (2015-17). During his time with the organization, the Patriots won nine AFC east titles, four AFC championships and two Super Bowls.

MORE: Why Liipfert is a candidate for Falcons general manager

IAN CUNNINGHAM

First interview date: Friday, Jan. 23

Second interview date: Thursday, Jan. 29

Current role: Cunningham has been the Chicago Bears' assistant general manager since 2022.

Resume highlights:

• Cunningham has 18 years of NFL experience, the last four coming with the Bears. He was the first-ever assistant general manager in Chicago, joining the franchise with general manager Ryan Poles. The Bears won the NFC North in 2025, their first division title since 2018.
• Prior to his time with the Bears, Cunningham spent five years with the Philadelphia Eagles, holding the role of director of college scouting (2017-18), assistant director of player personnel (2019-20) and director of player personnel (2021). The Eagles made the playoffs four times during Cunningham's tenure, including a Super Bowl victory in his first season.
• Cunningham's start in the league came with the Baltimore Ravens, with whom he spent nine seasons as player personnel assistant (2008-12) and area scout (2013-16). The Ravens went to the playoffs in each of those years, winning the Super Bowl in his last season.
• Cunningham was an offensive lineman for the University of Virginia, so he understands what it's like to be a collegiate athlete.

MORE: Why Cunningham is a candidate for Falcons general manager

JOE DOUGLAS

Interview date: Friday, Jan. 23

Current role: Douglas became the Philadelphia Eagles' senior personnel director/advisor to the general manager in 2025.

Resume highlights:

• Douglas rejoined the staff in Philadelphia last year after spending the 2016-18 seasons as the Eagles' vice president of player personnel. His Eagles’ bio states: "He played an integral role in helping construct Philadelphia's Super Bowl LII-winning roster in 2017."
• Between his two stints with the Eagles, Douglas was the New York Jets' general manager from 2019-24. During that time, he helped build a roster that featured seven players with a combined 10 Associated Press All-Pro honors and six players with a combined nine Pro Bowl nominations.
• Douglas served as the Chicago Bears' director of college scouting in 2015 but otherwise spent 16 years with the Baltimore Ravens. He worked in the Ravens' personnel department from 2000-15, which featured two of the team's Super Bowl wins (2000 and 2012). Douglas went to the playoffs 10 times in Baltimore.
• Douglas played offensive tackle at the University of Richmond from 1995-98. He was a volunteer assistant coach for the school in 1999.

MORE: Why Douglas is a candidate for Falcons general manager

MIKE BRADWAY

Interview date: Friday, Jan. 23

Current role: Bradway became the Kansas City Chiefs' assistant general manager in 2025.

Resume highlights:

• Bradway joined the Chiefs at the dawn of their modern dynasty in 2018, Since that time, no team has won more games (98), division titles (7) or Super Bowls (3) than Kansas City. His first role with the team was assistant director of player personnel, which he held until he was named director of player personnel in 2021.
• Before Kansas City, Bradway spent a decade with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2008-17. He began as a college scouting assistant and eventually became a scouting coordinator before hitting the road as both an area scout and a regional scout. Bradway eventually became assistant director of college scouting, a role he held during the 2014, 2016 and 2017 seasons.
• Played tight end at Villanova from 2004-07.

MORE: Why Bradway is a candidate for Falcons general manager

JOSH WILLIAMS

Interview date: Friday, Jan. 23

Current role: Williams has been the San Francisco 49ers' director of scouting and football since 2024. According to the team site, "Williams directs pro and college scouting efforts, supports player development, and assists in contract negotiations."

Resume highlights:

• Williams has been with the 49ers for 15 seasons, starting as an assistant within the scouting department in 2011. He then served as a pro personnel scout (2013-15), the National Football Scouting representative (2016), an area scout (2017-21) and a national scout (2022-23) until obtaining his most recent role. The 49ers drafted wide receiver Ricky Pearsall at No. 31 overall in 2024 and edge rusher Mykel Williams at No. 11 overall in 2025.
• Williams participated in the NFL's 2024 Front Office and General Manager Accelerator Program.
• Williams was a four-year wide receiver at Columbia University and worked in New York City as a business analyst of investment products at TD Ameritrade.

MORE: Why Williams is a candidate for Falcons general manager

ANDY WEIDL

Interview date: Thursday, Jan. 22

Current role: Weidl has been the assistant general manager for the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2022.

Resume highlights:

• Weidl has been the assistant general manager to Steelers general manager Omar Khan for four seasons and has played a big role in helping the Steelers overhaul their offensive line.
• Prior to joining the Steelers, Weidl spent six seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. He started as the assistant director of player personnel in 2016 and became the director of player personnel in 2019. The following year, Weidl became vice president of player personnel, a role he held until joining the Steelers.
• Weidl worked his way through the scouting ranks with the Baltimore Ravens before making the move to the Eagles, covering the west region (2005-08), northeast region (2009-12), and east region (2013-16).

MORE: Why Weidl is a candidate for Falcons general manager

JAMES LIIPFERT

Interview date: Thursday, Jan. 22

Current role: Liipfert became the Houston Texans' assistant general manager in 2025.

Resume highlights:

• This season, the Texans went 12-5 and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Houston has made a postseason run in five of the eight years with Liipfert on staff.
• Liipfert has been with the Texans since 2018 and served as the director of college scouting until his latest promotion. During Liipfert's tenure, the Texans have drafted notable players, including edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., quarterback C.J. Stroud, and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
• Prior to joining the Texans, Liipfert worked for the New England Patriots for nine seasons. He started as a scouting assistant (2009-10), then became an area scout (2011-14) and finished as a national scout (2015-17). During his time with the organization, the Patriots won nine AFC East titles, four AFC championships and two Super Bowls.

MORE: Why Liipfert is a candidate for Falcons general manager