Matt Ryan and the rest of the Falcons brass admitted earlier this week they had not even started the hiring process for the general manager position. That was a bit of a fib, considering most of the hot names also interviewed for the Falcons’ President of Football title, which was always expected to go to Matt Ryan.

On the head coaching front, things are already well underway. The Falcons have been most linked to John Harbaugh, but he is set to become the next head man in New York. That’s not too much of a surprise. The Giants were considered the favorites from the jump, but it does beg the question of who the Falcons have at the top of their list with Harbaugh no longer an option.

According to Chad Forbes, the frontrunner for the head coaching gig is Klint Kubiak, with Josh Williams in the driver’s seat to be the next GM.

Multiple people I’ve spoken with believe Matt Ryan will hire Klint Kubiak as the next Falcons Head Coach. Ties to the Shanahan tree and the perfect offense for Penix. 49ers Josh Williams is seen as the favorite for GM.

Waiting for Seahawks season to conclude out of respect.

— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) January 15, 2026

Kubiak being the Falcons’ preferred option is not the least bit surprising. He’s the hottest offensive mind available, but with that comes a lot of competition. Every organization is looking for the next Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, or most recently, Ben Johnson, including perennial playoff contenders like the Ravens and Steelers. Kubiak might be at the top of the Falcons’ wish list, but it’s likely they are not alone in their interest.

Josh Williams being Atlanta’s top target for general manager is more surprising. For the most part, the only name connected to the job has been Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham. A primary reason for that is Matt Ryan’s connection to Bears GM Ryan Poles. The two were teammates during their college days at Boston College, and Poles was reportedly helping Ryan throughout the process of becoming a front office executive. Naturally, a strong connection like that has linked the Falcons to Cunningham, who is already one of the most well-respected assistant GMs in the league.

Williams has been with the 49ers for 14 seasons, mostly as a scout. Over that time, few teams have accumulated more talent through the draft than San Francisco. He is currently the director of scouting and football operations, working alongside two of the brightest football minds in John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan.

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Photographer: Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire