Falcons’ search for general manager heating up with five reported candidates
After hiring their coach and some of their assistant coaches, the Falcons’ search for a general manager is moving forward.
The Falcons have plans to interview five candidates, according to multiple reports. The team has not announced any completed interviews.
Texans assistant general manager James Liipfert, Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl, Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams and Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Bradway are set to interview.
After five seasons, former general manager Terry Fontenot was fired Jan. 4, hours after the Falcons completed their eighth consecutive losing season.
Liipfert, who played linebacker at Georgia Tech, was with the Patriots for nine seasons.
Liipfert runs the college scouting operation for fall scouting, all-star games, the NFL combine, pro days and the NFL draft for the Texans.
While with the Patriots, he was part of nine division titles, four AFC championships and two Super Bowl wins.
Liipfert, who is from Marshallville in Macon County, was a three-year letterman at Tech.
Cunningham and Williams both interviewed for the president of football job that went to Matt Ryan.
Weidl joined the Steelers in his current role in May 2022. He has also worked with the Saints, Ravens and Eagles.
A native of Pittsburgh, Weidl started his career with the Steelers as a player personnel assistant in 1998 and 1999, working under Steelers greats Tom Donahoe and Bill Nunn.
He then spent 16 years as a scout with the Saints and Ravens before joining Howie Roseman’s personnel department with the Eagles.
Cunningham, 40, is highly regarded for his work with the Eagles and Ravens. He declined the Cardinals job in January 2023 and is waiting for the right opportunity.
He started with the Ravens as a personnel assistant (2008-12) and worked as an area scout (2013-16).
He joined the Eagles as the director of college scouting (2017-18), served as the assistant director of player personnel (2019-20) and was the director of player personnel (2021). He’s been with the Bears in his current role for the past four seasons.
Before joining the front-office ranks, Cunningham signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free-agent offensive lineman in 2008. A native of Carrollton, Texas, he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2007 and his master’s in education in 2008 from Virginia.
Williams was a finalist for the Jacksonville general manager job last season. Williams is in his 15th season with the 49ers. He worked his way up from being an area scout.
He’s a native of Santa Rosa, California, and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Columbia in 2010.
Bradway is set to interview with the Falcons, according to NFL Media.
Bradway just finished his first season as the assistant general manager after serving four seasons as the Chiefs’ senior director of player personnel (2021-24) . He joined the Chiefs in 2018 and was the assistant director of player personnel for three seasons.
Before joining the Chiefs, Bradway spent 10 seasons (2008-17) with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bradway is the son of longtime NFL personnel executive Terry Bradway, who is currently a personnel consultant with the Panthers.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
