NFL Denies Bears Compensatory Picks for Falcons Hiring Ian Cunningham as GM

The league ruled that Cunningham's new role in Atlanta does not qualify under the diversity policy.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 5:25pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the complex power dynamics and organizational structures of an NFL front office, with overlapping planes and shapes in muted shades of blue, green, and grey, conceptually representing the nuances and limitations of the league's diversity initiatives.The NFL's narrow interpretation of its own diversity policy leaves the Bears without promised compensatory picks for losing a key executive.Chicago Today

The NFL has officially denied the Chicago Bears' appeal for compensatory draft picks after the Atlanta Falcons hired former Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham as their new general manager. The league determined that Cunningham's position in Atlanta's front office structure, which has Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan as the president of football operations, does not meet the criteria for the diversity policy that would have awarded the Bears third-round picks.

Why it matters

The NFL's diversity policy was intended to incentivize teams to develop minority coaching and executive talent, but this ruling suggests the league has a narrow interpretation of what qualifies. The Bears were hoping to be rewarded for cultivating Cunningham, but the Falcons' unique front office setup prevented that.

The details

Under Resolution JC-2A, passed in 2020, teams that develop minority personnel into head coach or general manager roles with other franchises are supposed to receive compensatory third-round draft picks. However, the NFL ruled that Cunningham's position with the Falcons, who have former quarterback Matt Ryan as their president of football operations, does not meet the definition of a 'primary football executive' that the policy is designed to incentivize.

  • The NFL informed the Bears of its final ruling on April 3, 2026.
  • Cunningham left the Bears to become the Falcons' new GM earlier this offseason.

The players

Ian Cunningham

Former assistant general manager for the Chicago Bears, who was hired as the new general manager of the Atlanta Falcons this offseason.

Matt Ryan

Former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, who was hired as the team's president of football operations in January 2026.

Ryan Poles

General manager of the Chicago Bears, who worked with Cunningham during his time in Chicago.

Arthur Blank

Owner of the Atlanta Falcons, who hired Ryan as the team's president of football operations and oversaw the search for a new general manager.

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What’s next

The Bears do not have any further avenues to appeal the NFL's decision, so they will not receive the compensatory draft picks they were hoping for due to Cunningham's departure.

The takeaway

This ruling highlights the nuances and limitations of the NFL's diversity policy, which was intended to reward teams for developing minority coaching and executive talent but has a strict definition of what qualifies. The Bears' situation with Cunningham shows that even when a minority candidate is hired as a general manager, if the team's front office structure doesn't fit the league's criteria, the policy's benefits won't apply.