Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham and defensive coordinator Alan Williams will attend the inaugural NFL Coach and Front Office Accelerator Program early next week at the Spring League Meeting in Atlanta.

They will be among more than 60 diverse head coach and general manager candidates from all 32 teams and the league office. The program will provide senior women and minority prospects with leadership development sessions with football operations experts and facilitators, as well as time spent networking directly with club owners. The effort is designed to continue building a diverse hiring pipeline for future head coach and general manager positions throughout the league.

Each NFL team nominated rising prospects to participate in the program Monday and Tuesday. In addition to leadership development and sessions on the business of football, attendees will engage in candid discussions on how to take the next step in becoming a head coach or front office executive.

"The NFL is committed to diversity and inclusion and this program is the latest in a series of steps designed to improve our hiring practices," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "The program ensures that clubs receive exposure to high performing, up-and-coming NFL talent."