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Talking NFL & Bears with Fox Sports Radio's Carmen Vitali | Chicago Sports Tonight
Fox Sports Radio's Carmen Vitali joins the show to talk about the NFL and the Chicago Bears. As well as notable baseball offseason happenings.
Ryan Poles' top assistant is finally getting his shot as a general manager in the NFL.
Chicago Bears' assistant general manager Ian Cunningham has been hired as the Atlanta Falcons general manager, the Falcons announced Thursday evening.
What we know:
Cunningham interviewed for the Falcons' general manager opening twice. The first interview was on Jan. 23, and the second interview was Thursday.
The Falcons made their decision quickly after the second interview, hiring Cunningham to join a new-look Falcons team.
"As a Falcons fan growing up in Roswell when the Dirty Birds were rolling, the Braves were on fire and the city was hosting the Summer Olympics, I lived the passion of Atlanta sports fans and I can't wait to be part of bringing that fire and energy back to the city," Cunningham said in a statement. "It's been incredible to build a relationship with Matt over the last several weeks and to have an immediate connection with Kevin. I can't wait to work with both of these great football minds to put a team on the field everyone will be very excited about. We all share the same vision for what the Atlanta Falcons should and will be and it's time to work."
On Jan. 17, the Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach, replacing Raheem Morris. The team also hired former Falcons star quarterback Matt Ryan as its President of Football.
Cunningham was one of two finalists, beating out Houston Texans' assistant general manager James Liipfert for the general manager role.
The backstory:
Cunningham came to the Bears in 2022, joining Poles in his first season as the Bears' general manager.
Before coming to Chicago, Cunningham spent five years with the Philadelphia Eagles. In Philaldephia, Cunningham served as the Eagles' director of college scouting, assistant director of player personnel and director of player personnel.
The Eagles made four playoff appearances with Cunningham on staff. This includes a Super Bowl LII title.
Cunningham has been a major voice in Poles' ears in Chicago. His work behind the scenes didn't go unnoticed, as the Titans and Jaguars interviewed Cunningham for their GM openings last offseason. Cunningham had to recuse himself from the Bears' coaching search before rejoining when it became clear he'd remain in Chicago.
"My experience in Chicago has been important to me in so many ways, and I wouldn't have this opportunity in Atlanta without George McCaskey, Kevin Warren and especially Ryan Poles," Cunningham said in a statement. "I am deeply grateful for the opportunity they gave me and everything I've learned from them over my years with the Bears. It has been a first-class experience, and I will never forget what they, our staff, coaches, players and the great fans of Chicago have done for me."
Cunningham did bring a winner to Chicago, as his work in 2025 led to the team's first division title since 2018 and the first playoff win in 15 years.
What's next:
Cunningham's departure means Poles will have to find another assistant general manager and trusted aide. That search will begin, and with a goal to have a replacement in place at Halas Hall by the 2026 NFL Combine.
The Bears will not receive compensatory draft picks for Cunningham's departure. Under the NFL's Rooney Rule, teams that develop minority candidates that take top decision-maker jobs in the NFL – either general manager or head coach roles – will receive compensatory picks.
However, Cunningham will work under Falcons President of Football Matt Ryan. With Ryan being the top decision maker in Atlanta, the Bears reportedly will not receive any compensatory picks.
What they're saying:
"It was evident through our rigorous interview process Ian was the right choice for our general manager position," Falcons President of Football Matt 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. Throughout Ian's career, including Super Bowl championships in Baltimore and Philadelphia, Ian has demonstrated the drive and focus it takes to build championship contenders and put them in the position to win games. We love his broad and deep experience across every aspect of talent evaluation and know he's learned from some of the best in the league. Pairing him with Coach Stefanski is exciting for us, and we can't wait to see them bring our shared vision to life in everything we do starting right now."