The Atlanta Falcons are turning the page on a new era-and they’re doing it with a bold front-office move. On Thursday, the team officially named Ian Cunningham as their new general manager, signaling a fresh start after a stretch of underwhelming seasons.
Cunningham, 40, steps into the GM role after four years as the assistant general manager for the Chicago Bears. Before that, he cut his teeth in the Philadelphia Eagles’ front office as the assistant director of player personnel, helping shape rosters that emphasized depth, versatility, and long-term sustainability. Now, he brings that experience to a Falcons franchise hungry for stability and postseason relevance.
Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan-yes, the same Matt Ryan who once led Atlanta to a Super Bowl as its quarterback-praised Cunningham’s leadership and vision. “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.”
That next level has been elusive in recent years. The Falcons parted ways with former GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris earlier this month after a three-year run that saw the team go 37-48 and miss the playoffs entirely. Now, Cunningham will work alongside new head coach Kevin Stefanski to reshape the franchise’s identity from the top down.
Cunningham’s hiring caps a thorough search that included multiple interviews. In fact, he was in the running for the team’s president of football operations job-the one that ultimately went to Ryan. Instead, the two will now work in tandem to rebuild a roster that has talent but hasn’t quite put the pieces together.
The Falcons’ decision to pair Cunningham with Stefanski is a calculated one. Stefanski, 43, brings a steady hand and a proven offensive mind to the sideline. If the front office and coaching staff can find early synergy, this could be the foundation of something meaningful in Atlanta.
“Pairing him with Coach Stefanski is exciting for us,” Ryan added. “We can’t wait to see them bring our shared vision to life in everything we do starting right now.”
That shared vision will need to take shape quickly. According to Over The Cap, Atlanta is projected to have $17.4 million in cap space heading into the 2026 season. That’s not a war chest, but it’s enough to make some targeted moves-especially with key contributors like Kyle Pitts, Leonard Floyd, and David Onyemata set to hit free agency.
Cunningham walks into a pivotal offseason. The Falcons have a roster with some cornerstone pieces, but they’ve lacked consistency in both player development and game-day execution. His challenge will be to build a team that can compete in a wide-open NFC South-and do it with the kind of long-term vision that’s often been missing in Atlanta.
For Falcons fans, the hope is that this new leadership group-Cunningham in the front office, Stefanski on the sideline, and Ryan overseeing it all-can finally bring the franchise back to playoff relevance. The pieces are in place. Now it’s about execution.