The Ian Cunningham situation has been put on the back-burner around here for obvious reasons.
So, let’s play catch-up while we have a moment:
There has been a whole bunch of nothing on the Ian Cunningham front since last Saturday. However, we did get Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio confirming FInley’s reporting on the compensatory draft pick situation. Here is the clip via 670 The Score:
The Bears aren't expected to receive compensatory draft picks if Ian Cunningham is hired as the Falcons' new GM because he wouldn't be Atlanta's top decision-maker with Matt Ryan in place, as @patrickfinley reported and as @ProFootballTalk discussed with @Rahimi_Harris. pic.twitter.com/NE9SjPFz9E
— 670 The Score (@thescorechicago) January 14, 2026Are Ian Cunningham and the Falcons a fit?
This isn’t top of mind right now for obvious reasons. But it is still something we should discuss.
One reason behind the perceived hold-up here could be that the Falcons cannot interview Ian Cunningham a second time until the Bears are eliminated from the playoffs. That is the kind of thing that could throw a wrench in any plans Matt Ryan and the Falcons have on moving quickly with a hire. Even when (if) that interview happens, this still figures to be an odd situation to sort out between the Bears and Falcons.
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Would the Bears block Ian Cunningham from leaving for a job that isn’t a clear promotion with new duties? After all, a new title and a pay raise could be on the horizon for Cunningham. That still counts as a promotion, right? Could Chicago be stopped from blocking Cunningham’s departure? I don’t love the idea of the Bears pulling that card because I’d hate for Chicago to be known a franchise that keeps people from climbing organizational ladders. Then again, I’d hate to lose Cunningham for nothing.
Bears Assistant GM Ian Cunningham. | (Screenshot via Chicago Bears YouTube)Keep in mind that Ian Cunningham has been GM Ryan Poles’ right-hand man since 2022. And while we know that he has saved the Bears (at least) one draft pick by being the voice of reason, who knows what other missteps this front office avoided because of his presence. There seems to be a belief that Bears GM Ryan Poles’ long-standing relationship with Matt Ryan could help Ian Cunningham get the gig with the Falcons. And it very well could! But if it isn’t a true promotion, I’m not all that sure if it would be a great situation for Cunningham. It could be. But who knows. Atlanta’s new-look organizational flow chart is unlike anything the team has tried before.
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Back in April 2025, Cunningham said it “hurt” being passed over for GM jobs, so I can see a scenario in which he sees this as an opportunity to spread his wings and leaves the nest. However, there is so much uncertainty around this situation that I have no reason to make a bold proclomation one way or another. In any case, I will continue to watch closely for updates.
Bears GM Ryan Poles. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesCHECK OUT A NEW EPISODE OF THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
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