Ian Cunningham
{{Short description|American football player and executive}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ian Cunningham
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| current_team = Chicago Bears
| position = Assistant general manager
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|36|2022|2|1}}
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| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
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| high_school = Hebron (TX)
| college = Virginia (2003–2007)
| undraftedyear = 2008
| pastteams =
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2008}})*
| pastexecutive =
- Baltimore Ravens ({{NFL Year|2008|2016}})
Personnel assistant ({{NFL Year|2008|2012}})
Area scout ({{NFL Year|2013|2016}}) - Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2017|2021}})
Director of college scouting ({{NFL Year|2017|2018}})
Assistant director of player personnel ({{NFL Year|2019|2020}})
Director of player personnel ({{NFL Year|2021}}) - Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2022}}–present)
Assistant general manager
| highlights =
- 2× Super Bowl champion (XLVII, LII)
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Ian-Yates Cunningham (born {{birth based on age as of date|36|2022|2|1|noage=1}}){{Cite web|url=https://theathletic.com/3199889/2022/03/22/looking-at-things-through-a-different-lens-has-helped-make-bears-assistant-gm-ian-cunningham-a-rising-nfl-star/|website=The Athletic|url-access=subscription|title=Looking at things through a different lens has helped make Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham a rising NFL star|date=March 22, 2022|author=Pompei, Dan}} is an American football executive and former player who is the assistant general manager for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in {{NFL Year|2008}}. After a short stint with the Chiefs, Cunningham became an executive, starting with the Baltimore Ravens and later with the Philadelphia Eagles before getting his current position with the Bears in {{NFL Year|2022}}.
Early life
Cunningham grew up in Carrollton, Texas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-hire-eagles-ian-cunningham-as-assistant-general-manager|publisher=Chicago Bears|title=Bears hire Cunningham as assistant general manager |date=January 29, 2022|author=Mayer, Larry}} His father, Louis, was an agent at ProServ, which helped represent Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, while his second cousin was tennis player Arthur Ashe. Cunningham attended Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas and played football as an offensive lineman, receiving many all-area and all-state honors while being selected to play in the All-American Bowl.
Cunningham enrolled at the University of Virginia in 2003 and started five games as a true freshman before suffering a ruptured disk that required surgery.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/richmond-times-dispatch/138517015/|newspaper=Richmond Times-Dispatch|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 30, 2007|page=C3|title=Cunningham ready for next chapter|author=White, Jeff}} {{Open access}} He was selected honorable mention Freshman All-American by Rivals.com and also earned Freshman All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honors from The Sporting News. He redshirted in 2004 while recovering from injury. After seeing limited action at center in 2005, Cunningham moved to guard in 2006 and was a starter for his last two years, finishing his career with 31 career starts.{{Cite web|url=https://virginiasports.com/news/2006/10/23/ian-yates-cunningham-a-view-from-the-radio-booth/|publisher=Virginia Cavaliers|title=Ian-Yates Cunningham: A View from the Radio Booth|date=October 23, 2006|author=Jenkins, Missy}}
Cunningham graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's degree in psychology and later received a master's degree in education and human development.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/titans/news/tennessee-titans-nfl-general-manager-candidate-ian-cunningham|website=Sports Illustrated|title=General Manager Candidate: Ian Cunningham|author=Boclair, David|date=January 14, 2023}} While at Virginia, he also announced games for the radio station WINA.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-progress/138517930/|newspaper=The Daily Progress|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 23, 2006|page=13, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-progress/138518025/ 16]|title=On The Air|author=Jenkins, Jay}} {{Open access}}
Professional career
Cunningham was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent following the 2008 NFL draft, but did not make the final roster.{{Cite news|url=https://bearswire.usatoday.com/lists/bears-hire-ian-cunningham-assistant-gm-things-to-know/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Bears hire Ian Cunningham: 5 things to know about Chicago's new assistant GM|author=Barbieri, Alyssa|date=January 30, 2022}}
Executive career
Shortly after being released by the Chiefs, Cunningham joined the Baltimore Ravens as a personnel assistant. While in this position, he helped the team win a Super Bowl in 2012.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailyherald.com/20240108/nfl/reports-commanders-request-interview-with-bears-assistant-gm/|newspaper=Daily Herald|title=Reports: Commanders request interview with Bears assistant GM |date=January 8, 2024|author=Hammond, Sean}} He was promoted from personnel assistant to area scout in 2013.{{Cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/titans-interview-bears-cunningham-cards-harris-for-gm-job/|newspaper=The Seattle Times|title=Titans interview Bears’ Cunningham, Cards’ Harris for GM job |date=January 14, 2023|author=Walker, Teresa M.|agency=Associated Press}} He served a total of nine years with the Ravens and they made the playoffs in six of those years. In 2017, Cunningham was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles as director of college scouting and won his second Super Bowl that year. He became assistant director of player personnel in 2019 and served in the role for two years. In 2021, he received a promotion to being the Eagles director of player personnel.{{Cite news|url=https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2024/01/08/commanders-request-to-interview-bears-assistant-gm-ian-cunningham/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Commanders request to interview Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham|date=January 8, 2024|author=Barbieri, Alyssa}}
Cunningham was mentioned in 2020 on a list of The Athletic's "40 under 40" for those whom it considered "the rising stars shaping the direction of the NFL."{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-assistant-gm-ian-cunningham-rising-star|publisher=Chicago Bears|title=Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham a rising star |date=March 15, 2022|author=Mayer, Larry}} He was hired by the Chicago Bears in 2022 as assistant general manager to Ryan Poles, making him one of the highest-ranking African American executives in the league. He has been interviewed for general manager positions several times, including being considered a finalist in 2024 for the job for the Washington Commanders.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/adam-peters-ian-cunningham-are-finalists-for-commanders-head-of-football-operations|website=ProFootballTalk|publisher=NBC Sports|title=Adam Peters, Ian Cunningham are finalists for Commanders head of football operations|date=January 11, 2024|author=Simmons, Myles}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Super Bowl XLVII}}
{{Super Bowl LII}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cunningham, Ian}}
Category:American football offensive linemen
Category:Players of American football from Carrollton, Texas
Category:Virginia Cavaliers football players
Category:Kansas City Chiefs players
Category:Baltimore Ravens executives