James Liipfert could one day become an NFL general manager after his work with the Houston Texans.
It just won’t come in 2026 with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons announced Thursday night that Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham would become their new GM following a second interview in Atlanta earlier in the week, per the team’s release. According to the organization, Liipfert, who played college ball up the road at Georgia Tech, was the other finalist for the opportunity, alongside new team president Matt Ryan and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
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Liipfert, a longtime disciple under current Texans general manager Nick Caserio, has been in Houston since 2018. After getting his start as a scouting assistant under Caserio with the New England Patriots in 2009, Liipfert would be hired by then-coach Bill O’Brien and general manager Rick Smith to serve as the franchise’s director of college scouting.
He was promoted to assistant GM ahead of the 2025 season. Liipfert also spent nine seasons in New England and worked his way up to one of the team’s top college scouts and a trusted name in the NFL draft circles.
“I have a lot of respect for James,” Caserio said when Liipfert was announced as a candidate for the opening. “I’ve known him a long time. Probably known him as long as anybody in this building. Hired him as a scouting assistant. Finished his career at Georgia Tech. He hadn’t been involved in scouting, probably didn’t have much of an NFL career ahead of him. He knew that.
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“I rely on him for a lot. He’s earned his opportunity, so credit to him. Whatever the Falcons decide to do, but hopefully, he’s here helping the Texans. He’s fortunate to have the opportunity and I’m sure he’ll do a good job with it.” As one of the more underrated names in scouting, Liipfert has been a key asset to the selection process during the NFL draft, including in-person visits, all-star game scouting, and meetings at the NFL Scouting Combine each offseason. Over the years, working alongside Caserio, Liipfert’s input has helped Houston find several of its top players over the years, including an expanded role in building a draft class for 2025 that featured selections like offensive tackle Tay Ersery, wide receiver Jayden Higgins and running back Woody Marks.
The Texans own eight picks in the upcoming NFL draft, including four inside the top 70. They will select 28th overall in the first round come April in Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans: Assistant GM James Liipfert misses out on Falcons’ opening
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