Tennessee Titans interview Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham for their top job

The Tennessee Titans interviewed Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for their vacant general manager job over the weekend.

Cunningham has been Bears GM Ryan Poles' right-hand man since 2022. Cunningham was the first hire that Poles made after coming to Chicago.

Cunningham has interviewed for general manager positions during each of the previous two hiring cycles. He reportedly was a finalist for the Washington Commanders' GM position a year ago, although he lost out to former 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters.

Cunningham also interviewed with the Titans two years ago when he lost out to Ran Carthon, another former 49ers front office man. Two years later, the Titans fired Carthon last week and now are looking for a new GM once again.

Cunningham has been instrumental in scouting NFL draft talent and acquiring players in free agency. Like Poles, he’s a former college offensive lineman who pursued a career in scouting after his playing days were over. Prior to coming to Chicago in 2022, Cunningham worked for the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles, winning a Super Bowl with both franchises.

Poles has been preparing to lose Cunningham eventually. He said last week that the Bears would give Cunningham space to pursue a GM position, even while the franchise searches for its next head coach. There currently are only three open GM jobs: the Titans, Jets and Raiders.

Speaking about Cunningham just before the draft in April, Poles said: “I am blessed out of my socks to have him by my side through this process. Just, especially when you reflect back to the first two years getting this thing off the ground, to have a guy like him. [He’s] not a yes man. [He] keeps me in line when I start getting off track, to keep our staff together when I get pulled in different directions.”

[He’s] not a yes man. [He] keeps me in line when I start getting off track, to keep our staff together when I get pulled in different directions.”

—  Ryan Poles, Bears general manager

The Bears could benefit if a team hires Cunningham. Since 2021, the NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks to teams if a minority head coach or GM is hired from within their organization.

So if Cunningham, who is Black, is hired by another team, the Bears would receive extra third-round draft picks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts.