The Falcons are casting a wide net in their search for a new general manager, and their latest request adds a familiar name to the mix: Joe Douglas.
Currently serving as the Eagles’ senior personnel director, Douglas has a deep résumé in NFL front offices. Atlanta has formally requested to interview him for their vacant GM position, joining a growing list of candidates under consideration.
Here’s where the Falcons’ GM search stands so far:
- Ian Cunningham, Bears assistant GM (Requested)
- Josh Williams, 49ers director of scouting and football operations (Requested)
- Andy Weidl, Steelers assistant GM (Requested)
- James Liipfert, Texans assistant GM (Interviewed)
- Mike Bradway, Chiefs assistant GM (Requested)
- Joe Douglas, Eagles senior personnel director (Requested)
Douglas, 49, brings more than two decades of front office experience to the table. He got his start with the Ravens back in 2000 and spent 15 years in Baltimore's personnel department - a tenure that coincided with some of the franchise’s most successful years in roster building. He then had a brief stint with the Bears in 2015 as their director of college scouting before moving to Philadelphia, where he served as the Eagles’ vice president of player personnel.
His most high-profile role came in 2019, when he was hired as the Jets’ general manager. Douglas held that position for six seasons, overseeing a full-scale rebuild that, while ambitious, ultimately fell short in the win column. His tenure in New York ended in 2024 with a 30-64 record and no playoff appearances.
After his departure from the Jets, Douglas returned to Philadelphia in 2025, this time as a senior personnel director - a role that’s allowed him to stay connected to the team-building process in a front office that’s consistently been one of the league’s most forward-thinking.
For the Falcons, Douglas represents a candidate with both the scars and the wisdom that come from sitting in the big chair. He’s made the tough calls, navigated the highs and lows of a rebuild, and now brings that experience back into the interview circuit. Whether Atlanta sees him as the right fit to lead their next chapter remains to be seen, but there’s no question he adds a seasoned voice to the conversation.
With interviews and requests still unfolding, the Falcons are clearly doing their homework. And with a range of candidates from respected front offices - including the Chiefs, 49ers, and Steelers - Atlanta is signaling that it’s serious about finding the right architect to shape the future of the franchise.