Official: Bears will not receive comp picks for Ian Cunningham
The NFL officially ruled that the Chicago Bears will not receive compensatory picks for the Atlanta Falcons hiring of Ian Cunningham. Here’s why the league got it wrong.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Bears had been holding out hope that the NFL would see things their way and that they would still be awarded comp picks for their assistant general manager, Ian Cunningham, being hired by the Atlanta Falcons as their general manager. The issue, of course, was that Matt Ryan was the Falcons’ President of Football, which means he’s technically in charge of football operations, not Ian Cunningham.
Primary Football Executive has been a term that Bears fans have heard a lot of the last couple of months. Today, the NFL officially ruled on the Bears’ appeal and denied them compensatory picks for the Cunningham hire. The league released a statement that reads, “The matter is now closed following the club’s appeal.
The NFL informed the Bears today that they will not receive compensatory picks. The policy is designed to provide picks for the Primary Football Executive position. The League determined Mr.
Cunningham did not fill that role with the Falcons as it is defined in League rules. ” In short, common sense lost. If you haven’t followed the details on this, each team in the league gives them one name, their Primary Football Executive.