Falcons just dropped a subtle hint as to when their GM search could end

The Atlanta Falcons are playing the long game. They just landed their new head coach in Kevin Stefanski just a week after making the Matt Ryan hire official, but they have yet to find a general manager. They're the only GM opening, so they've been taking their time throughout the process.

The Falcons are planning to introduce Stefanski as their new head coach in a week on Jan. 27, but that timeline is a bit odd. Usually a head coach and GM are introduced together at the same press conference, so could be a hint about where this team currently stands in the GM search process?

Weirdly enough, the Falcons have yet to conduct any GM interviews, but it feels like the search process is nearing an end. There are two clear top candidates, so if they get them both in the building this week, it's not crazy to suggest they could introduce a new GM alongside Stefanski next Tuesday.

Kevin Stefanski's press conference timeline suggest the Falcons' GM search might finally be coming to an end this week

The Dirty Birds have two names on their radar currently to replace Terry Fontenot: Chicago Bears' assistant GM Ian Cunningham and San Francisco 49ers' director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, both of whom have ties to Ryan, who is the Falcons' first-ever president of football.

Cunningham is the right-hand man to Matty Ice's good friend Ryan Poles, while Williams works closely with Kyle Shanahan, who was Ryan's OC during his MVP season. Those connections are important, but we won't know more about who the true frontrunner is until they're in the facility.

Now that the Bears and 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs this week, the Falcons can interview with Williams and Cunningham in-person. They already spoke with both of them for the president of football opening, but it comes down to who shares the same vision as Stefanski and Ryan now.

Stefanski was hired on Saturday, so waiting 10 days to conduct your coach's introductory press conference is a bit unorthodox. The only way this makes sense is if they know they'll have a resolution on the GM front before next Tuesday, which is becoming increasingly likely based on recent reports.

While detailing the team's pursuit of Stefanski, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported that the Falcons could be circling a general manager hire this week. He also revealed that Cunningham looks like the current favorite to fill the position, but right now, it's anybody's race between them.