Ian Cunningham Comes Back to Chicago: Bears’ Front Office Executive Returns After GM Searches
Assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, a trusted and valuable member of the Chicago Bears organization, will seemingly be returning to the organization after being passed over for two general manager gigs this offseason.
Cunningham was a finalist for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans this cycle, the Jaguars opted to hire Rams’ Director of Scouting James Gladstone while the Titans hired Chiefs’ assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi for their GM role.
Cunningham has received significant interest from other franchises in previous years but will again have to wait another year for his time to eventually come.
One day, a team will give the rising executive an opportunity to run his own team, until then, he will continue assisting general manager Ryan Poles in Chicago.
“I am blessed out of my socks to have him by my side through this process,” Poles said about Cunningham back in April. “Just especially, when you reflect back to the first two years getting this thing off the ground. To have a guy like him that’s not a ‘yes’ man that keeps me in line when I start getting off track, to keep our staff together when I get pulled in different directions, we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for Ian, as well as being there and being an unbelievable partner.”
Working as Poles’ top lieutenant in the front office, Cunningham helps with free agent meetings, draft meetings, day-to-day operations, and other aspects of the organization. Cunningham’s most public decision came last April when he convinced Poles not to move up in the draft to select wide receiver Rome Odunze (the Bears still were able to land their top target with the ninth overall pick).
Cunningham missing out on another general manager opportunity this cycle sucks for his professional career but it’s bittersweet for the Bears. The good news is, the Bears get a top executive back in 2025, but losing Cunningham to another team could have paid off in a big way.
Due to the NFL’s diversity initiative, which rewards teams that promote minority candidates to get hired as executives with other teams, the Bears could have received two third-round compensatory picks, one in 2025 and one in 2026, if Cunningham landed either position this cycle.
That would be huge capital for Ryan Poles and the rest of the front office to use in building up the roster. But the opportunity will still be there during the next cycle.
Cunningham reportedly turned down the Arizona Cardinals general manager job in 2023, a decision that continues to bite him looking back on it. When presented with an opportunity, you simply have to take it.
Luckily, the Bears have a big offseason ahead of them. If Poles, Cunningham, and the rest of the front office blows it out of the market over the next several weeks, Cunningham’s chances of landing his own GM title will only increase next offseason.
