When is a primary football executive truly the primary football executive?
Regarding the Falcons’ hiring of former Bears assistant G.M. Ian Cunningham to be the successor to Terry Fontenot, the NFL decided that Cunningham will not be the primary football executive. Which prevented the Bears from getting a pair of third-round picks under the provision in the Rooney Rule that rewards teams for developing minority employees who secure promotions.
“The policy for receiving picks pertains to the head coach or the primary football executive,” the NFL told PFT on Tuesday via email. “The primary football executive position was filled by Matt Ryan.”
Ryan was hired to be the Falcons’ president of football operations. After he took the job, it was reported that the Bears would not receive compensatory draft picks if Cunningham (who also interviewed for Ryan’s job) becomes the G.M.
The issue resurfaced last week, after Ryan said Cunningham will control free agency and the draft.
“He’s in charge of that space,” Ryan said regarding Cunningham. “He is driving this boat, and he’s the one leading us moving forward. This is Ian’s regular season right now, and he is in it; he is driving the ship right now.”
Our question to the league was prompted by Ryan’s comments. The answer, as quoted above, is that Ryan is the primary football executive.
Here’s where it gets confusing. When the Falcons hired Fontenot to be the G.M. in 2022, the Saints (Fontenot’s former employer) received the compensatory picks. But Rich McKay was the team president and CEO — and as of 2022 he was involved in football operations.
We’ve asked for an explanation as to why the picks were awarded then, if they’re not being awarded now. Stay tuned.