(670 The Score) Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham is finally getting his chance as a general manager.
Cunningham is being hired by the Falcons as their new general manager, according to multiple reports Thursday evening.
Cunningham has been with the Bears since January 2022, when he was hired as assistant general manager by newly appointed general manager Ryan Poles. Cunningham had been a strong candidate for general manager roles in past hiring cycles before this opportunity.
In Atlanta, Cunningham will work alongside new Falcons president of football Matt Ryan, a former college teammate of and longtime friend to Poles.
“He can be an NFL GM, and he can be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said of Cunningham in 2024. “That’s the way his mind processes information.
“The ultimate compliment I can give Ian is that I'm a better GM because I worked with Ian Cunningham.”
In recent years, the Bears had been preparing for the loss of Cunningham, with Poles hoping his longtime lieutenant and friend would garner an opportunity of his own.
The Bears could turn to senior director of player personnel Jeff King or director of player personnel Trey Koziol as their new assistant general manager.
The Bears aren't expected to receive compensatory draft picks for Cunningham's departure given Ryan's place as the Falcons' top football executive. An NFL policy rewards organizations whose minority executives leave for promotions by giving those teams two third-round draft picks, but the executive has to be the top decision-maker in the new job for the policy to take effect.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.