The Atlanta Falcons revamped their front office Thursday by hiring Ian Cunningham as their new general manager, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Cunningham, 40, had previously interviewed for the Falcons president of football position. With his experience in college scouting and player personnel, the responsibility seemed obvious to him along with Matt Ryan, who was hired into the president’s role, and new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
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That background in player personnel may give Cunningham an edge over Houston Texans assistant general manager James Lipfelt, who the Falcons also held a second interview with.
Cunningham has spent the past three years as the assistant general manager of the Chicago Bears under Ryan Bolles. His NFL front office career began in 2008 with the Baltimore Ravens as a personnel assistant before being promoted to area scout over eight years.
Cunningham moved to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 and served as director of college scouting for two years before becoming assistant director of player personnel. Cunningham was eventually promoted to director of player personnel, a position he held for a year before leaving for Chicago.
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Cunningham spent one season on the practice squad with the Kansas City Chiefs before taking the front office job. An offensive lineman who played college football at the University of Virginia, he made 31 career starts for the Cavaliers.
Cunningham replaces Terry Fontenot, who was fired along with head coach Raheem Morris following Atlanta’s Week 18 regular season finale.