The NFL is rejecting the Bears’ appeal to receive compensatory draft picks. The team believed they were entitled to a pair of third-round selections after the Falcons hired former executive Ian Cunningham.
The NFL has a rule that rewards teams for developing minority coaches and execs that land jobs as head coaches or general managers.
The league says Atlanta passed over Cunningham for President of Football Operations by hiring Matt Ryan. They determined that Ryan was the primary football executive, which is who the policy was designed.
April 3, 2026