Atlanta Falcons Move Fast, Hire Philadelphia Eagles Exec

After eight straight losing seasons and no playoff appearances, the Atlanta Falcons needed a culture change this offseason. They moved CEO Rich McKay out of operations and hired Matt Ryan to be president of football.

The replaced general manager Terry Fontenot with Ian Cunningham and head coach Raheem Morris with Kevin Stefanski.

Owner Arthur Blank wasn't done. On Monday afternoon, it was announced the Falcons had parted ways with Senior Director of Football Administration Chris Olsen. Olsen was hired in his current position with Fontenot and then-head coach Arthur Smith in 2021.

This looks like a move that was in the making for some time, because just a few hours later, news of his replacement being hired was broken by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

"Falcons have hired Eagles exec Bryce Johnston as SVP of Football Administration/Senior Personnel Executive," Garafolo reported on X. "Johnston will lead salary-cap strategy, serve as lead contract negotiator and be a key advisor to Ian Cunningham and Matt Ryan for roster building and long-term strategy."

Johnston's hire follows the model of bringing in front office personnel from successful franchises. Cunningham spent nine years with the Baltimore Ravens before moving to the Philadelphia Eagles for five seasons. He spent the last two years with the Chicago Bears as assistant general manager before getting the top job with the Falcons in January.

Cunningham worked with Johnston during his time in Philly. Johnston joins the Falcons after spending the last 10 seasons with the Eagles. He was promoted to a senior vice president in 2024. Prior to that, he spent two years as a vice president of football transactions and strategic planning.

Johnston's responsibilities with the Eagles were similar to what he is being asked to do in Atlanta. He was tasked with salary cap strategy and management, contract negotiations, and player acquisition.

It's probably not a coincidence that this move was made the Monday after the NFL Draft, as Johnston concluded his duties with the Eagles. With roughly 75 players on the roster, there will still be a litany of moves to be made for the Falcons to carry 90 into training camp.

Johnston will also be heavily leaned on to strategize key contract extensions, including wide receiver Drake London, who is on the final year of his rookie deal, and tight end Kyle Pitts, who is currently on a one-year, fully guaranteed franchise tag.

Tapping into an executive who has helped engineer three Super Bowl appearances (two wins) in eight years looks like a good strategy for these new-look Atlanta Falcons.