Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was in high demand last offseason, and this year appears to be no different. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Los Angeles Chargers have put in a request to interview Cunningham for their vacant general manager position. The Chargers are the second team that has shown interest in Cunningham this offseason, along with the Washington Commanders, who put in a request on Monday.
Ian Cunningham has also been requested by the #Chargers, source says. https://t.co/xxE2RLUaP7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 9, 2024
Los Angeles is searching for its next general manager and head coach after firing Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley late in the 2023 season. Cunningham joins a growing list of candidates, including New Orleans Saints vice president and assistant general manager Jeff Ireland, San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters, Buffalo Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, and New York Giants assistant general manager Brandon Brown, all of whom have been contacted by the Chargers.
Cunningham is in his second season with the Bears as assistant general manager and has been Ryan Poles’ right-hand man. He’s been instrumental in turning the roster around through the draft and free agency. He was a top candidate last year and turned down the Arizona Cardinals general manager job. Cunningham was also a finalist for the Tennessee Titans job that went to Ran Carthon.
Prior to his experience with the Bears, Cunningham spent four years with the Philadelphia Eagles in a number of roles. He started as director of college scouting (2017), moved up to assistant director of player personnel (2019), and finally was promoted to director of player personnel (2021).
Because Cunningham has been with the Bears for at least two seasons, the team would receive a third-round compensatory pick in each of the next two seasons if he were to get hired as a general manager as part of the Rooney Rule.