The Atlanta Falcons are actively searching for their president of football after Owner and Chairman Arthur M. Blank announced on Jan. 5 that the position would be created amid an organizational restructure.
"The leader in this new role will set the vision and identity for our team," Blank wrote in a letter shared with fans. "Our new head coach and general manager will report to the new president of football, and they will work collaboratively as a football leadership team on all football decisions. Final decision-making authority will rest with the president of football."
Updates on completed interviews for the position will be provided on AtlantaFalcons.com.
Atlanta has completed interviews with the following individuals:
The Falcons have officially completed an interview with Ian Cunningham for the position.
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.
Why he's a candidate: Cunningham has worked his way through the team ranks, accumulating experience essentially at each level in a front office apart from the very top. He has done so with teams that were successful, too, so he knows how a well-oiled machine operates. That perspective would be beneficial to the Falcons, considering they have not made the playoffs since 2017.
Better yet, Cunningham helped the Bears reach rather quick success with a new head coach in Ben Johnson and a young quarterback in Caleb Williams this season, which will be a similar situation for the Falcons in 2026. Chicago went 5-12 during Williams' rookie year before improving to 11-6 in his second season. Cunningham, in theory, could help build a roster around Penix, or whoever the quarterback is, and turn the productivity around. He watched — helped — Poles do it.
