Falcons Reunite with Legendary Player In Executive Role

A beloved Atlanta Falcon has returned to the team as president of football, Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham, and head coach Kevin Stefanski build out their inaugural staff ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

Former Falcons center Todd McClure is the franchise’s new coordinator of player development and senior personnel assistant.

According to the team: "McClure will support the club's player development program by coordinating cross-functional initiatives and assisting football leadership with player-focused and strategic projects."

The 2022 Ring of Honor inductee played all 13 of his NFL seasons in Atlanta, snapping to former franchise star quarterbacks Michael Vick and Ryan. The Falcons picked McClure in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft out of LSU.

He would go on to break linebacker Keith Brooking’s franchise record for consecutive starts. Nicknamed “Mud Duck,” he was also inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, where his rise as a football star happened at Baton Rouge’s Central High School and LSU.

McClure is fifth on the Atlanta Falcons all-time list of games played, trailing only fellow offensive linemen Mike Kenn and Jeff Van Note, Ryan, and linebacker Jesse Tuggle. Left tackle Jake Matthews trails McClure by just two games, so McClure's tenure in the top five is likely to come to an end on Thursday, September 24th, when the Falcons take on Green Bay in Week 3.

Ryan was the first of the former players to join owner Arthur Blank's executive team when he took over as the newly created role of team president. While the title itself was considered new, in practice, he helped replace long-time Blank confidante Rich McKay, who was CEO of the Falcons and was moved into other parts of the Blank Empire.

Ryan was instrumental in hiring new head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Ian Cunningham, as Blank deemed a complete organizational reboot was needed for a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2017. The second-longest streak in the NFL.

The Falcons are facing an uphill battle to break the streak in 2026 with big questions at quarterback and now edge rusher after Jalon Walker was lost for the season on Tuesday with a torn ACL.

McClure’s hire is among other additions to the staff: Max Blank (Scouting assistant), Daniel Clements (BLESTO scout), Keith Earle (Area scout), Justin Hickman (National scout), Kevin Melore (Area scout), and Frank Wintrich (Assistant director of strength and conditioning).: