The Atlanta Falcons have taken the first major step in reshaping their football leadership.
On Saturday, the team announced that franchise legend Matt Ryan has been hired as President of Football. The move had been widely expected and now allows the organization to turn its attention to filling the general manager and head coach positions.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Falcons interviewed 4 other candidates for the President of Football role. Those same interviews also doubled as evaluations for the vacant general manager position.
The candidates included Detroit Lions chief operating officer Mike Disner, Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, Carolina Panthers executive vice president Brandt Tillis, and San Francisco 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams.
Russini reported that Disner stood out during the process, describing him as “tremendous” and “polished.” Williams was also viewed very positively and labeled “excellent.”
Based on that feedback, Disner and Williams are believed to be early favorites for the Falcons’ general manager job. However, the search is far from over.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that Atlanta plans to keep its options open. Additional interviews for the general manager role are expected.
Once a general manager is in place, the Falcons will move forward with hiring a new head coach.
Several reports have outlined the list of candidates Atlanta has requested to interview. The group includes Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
There is no firm timeline for when the Falcons will finalize both hires. However, with Ryan now installed in his new role, league sources expect the process to accelerate in the coming days.
