Latest Falcons GM Search Rumors as Joe Douglas Eyed After Terry Fontenot's Firing

After cleaning house by firing Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot following a disappointing 8-9 record this season, the Atlanta Falcons are in the process of interviewing candidates for their vacant general manager position.

The Falcons announced Friday that they have completed an interview with Joe Douglas, who currently serves as the senior personnel director for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Douglas also previously served as general manager of the New York Jets, compiling a 32-68 record in six seasons at the helm of the franchise.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Falcons have also put in an interview request for Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham as a potential replacement for Fontenot.

Beyond just firing Morris and Fontenot, the Falcons are going through a full-scale organizational restructuring.

Team owner Arthur Blank announced on Monday that Rich McKay, who had been with the Falcons since 2003, was being replaced as CEO by Greg Beadles. Beadles will also retain his title as team president.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Falcons legend Matt Ryan is expected to be hired as president of football. He is also expected to have a key role in their search for a new head coach and general manager.

Schefter also reported that the Falcons are expected to interview Carolina Panthers EVP Brandt Tillis for the president of football job. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Detroit Lions COO Mike Disner will also interview for the role.

Pelissero noted there is a connection between Ryan and Bears general manager Ryan Poles, as they are both Boston College alums.

Fontenot's five-year tenure as Atlanta's general manager saw the franchise remain stuck in the mud. The Falcons won between seven and eight games in each of the past five seasons.

Some of the moves made by Fontenot drew criticism in the moment and look worse in hindsight. His most notable decisions were signing Kirk Cousins as a free agent, then drafting Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick one month later and trading a 2026 first-round draft pick (No. 12 overall) to the Los Angeles Rams to move back into the first round this year for the right to select James Pearce Jr.

Cunningham is in his fourth season as the assistant general manager in Chicago. Last offseason, he was a finalist for the GM position with the Tennessee Titans and was considered a very strong contender for the Jacksonville Jaguars job.

In addition to his work with the Bears, Cunningham has two Super Bowl titles from his time with the Baltimore Ravens (2008 to '16) and Philadelphia Eagles (2017 to '21).