Atlanta Falcons Hire Jeff Ulbrich as New Defensive Coordinator

The Atlanta Falcons made a significant move on Saturday by announcing the hiring of Jeff Ulbrich as their new defensive coordinator. Ulbrich previously served as the interim head coach for the New York Jets and stepped into this role after former head coach Robert Saleh was let go. His record with the Jets was 3-9 over the last twelve games of the season.

This announcement follows a period of interviews with several other candidates, including Matt Eberflus, Steve Wilks, Grady Brown, and Derrick Ansley. The decision comes after the Falcons decided to part ways with their former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake on January 11, after one season. Under Lake, the Falcons defense allowed an average of 345.2 yards and 24.9 points per game.

Ulbrich’s experience in the NFL is noteworthy. He started his coaching career as a defensive coordinator with the Falcons in 2020, followed by a four-year stint with the Jets. Prior to that, he served as linebackers coach from 2015 to 2019 under former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn. Raheem Morris, the Falcons’ current head coach, is a close friend of Ulbrich’s. In 2020, when Morris took over as interim head coach, he promoted Ulbrich from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator.

In a recent statement, Ulbrich spoke highly of Morris, expressing, “In this day and age, this current player’s culture in the NFL, there’s not a better candidate in my opinion.” He emphasized the importance of relating to today’s players and creating an environment suited for their needs, saying that football is not played the same way as before.

During his time as interim head coach of the Jets, Ulbrich sought advice from Morris, who now stands beside him as they aim to improve the Falcons’ performance, following a disappointing 8-9 finish and a second-place standing in the NFC South.