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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons To Interview Andy Weidl For GM

By | at January 20, 2026 10:13 pm

In hiring Matt Ryan as their president of football and Kevin Stefanski as their head coach, the Falcons have crossed two key tasks off their list in the past 10 days. The Falcons still need to choose a general manager, though, and Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl has emerged as a candidate to replace the fired Terry Fontenot. Weidl will interview for Fontenot’s old job, Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show reports.

With Ryan in charge of football matters, the Falcons’ GM gig is regarded as a secondary position. That means the Steelers could have blocked Weidl from interviewing with Atlanta, but they’ll instead allow him to discuss the position with Ryan & Co.

Weidl, a Pittsburgh native, began his career with the Steelers as a player personnel assistant in 1999. After working in scouting roles with the Saints and Ravens from 2000-16, he spent six years in the Eagles’ front office.

Weidl, who returned to the Steelers in 2022, crossed paths with Stefanski’s Browns twice in each of the past four seasons. The former AFC North rivals could soon join forces in Atlanta, where Stefanski will have input into the Falcons’ GM decision. While Ryan is atop the Falcons’ football department, he made it clear last week that he won’t meddle with either the head or GM once they’re in place.

“The final decisions that I am going to have to make is who we hire, but we are empowering (the HC and GM) to go out there and do their job and I have expressed that in the interviews that we have had,” Ryan said.

Before hiring Ryan in his new role, the Falcons interviewed Lions chief operating officer Mike Disner, Panthers executive vice president of operations Brandt Tilis, 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, and Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for the job. It’s unclear if Ryan will discuss the GM post with any of those four, but we know he’ll talk with Weidl.

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Falcons Request OC Interview With Buccaneers’ Bryan McClendon

By | at January 20, 2026 9:20 pm

Following a productive two-year stint coaching wideouts in Tampa Bay, Bryan McClendon is now getting a look for offensive coordinator gigs. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Falcons have requested permission to interview McClendon for their OC job.

[RELATED: Falcons Interview Drew Terrell For OC Job]

Following a brief summer stint with the Bears, McClendon proceeded to spend more than a decade in college football. He worked his way up the ranks at Georgia, including a brief stint as their interim head coach following Mark Richt‘s departure. He spent a few years as South Carolina’s offensive coordinator plus two years on Oregon’s staff (including a brief stint as their interim HC) before returning to Georgia in 2022.

After Brad Idzik left to become the Panthers offensive coordinator in 2024, the Buccaneers turned to McClendon for his first NFL gig. The coach entered an enticing situation in Tampa Bay, and despite a number of injuries in their WRs room, Buccaneers receivers still accounted for 28 of Baker Mayfield‘s 41 passing touchdowns.

The Buccaneers receiving corps once again dealt with injuries in 2025, with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin combining for only 63 combined catches in 17 total games. Still, the team got a standout performance from first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka, with seventh-round rookie Tez Johnson also chipping in 322 yards and five touchdowns.

McClendon would have the opportunity to take the next step of his career on Kevin Stefanski‘s new staff in Atlanta. Tommy Rees is the favorite for the Falcons OC job, but the Falcons have considered some outside names. Earlier tonight, we learned that the team interviewed Cardinals passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Drew Terrell.

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Falcons Interview Drew Terrell For OC Job

By | at January 20, 2026 5:38 pm

Drew Terrell‘s coordinator candidacy is starting to heat up. We learned yesterday that the Cardinals passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach interviewed for the Chargers OC job, and now NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Terrell also interviewed for the Falcons job.

[RELATED: Chargers Interview Drew Terrell For OC]

Following his four-year collegiate career at Stanford (where he was recruited by Jim Harbaugh), Terrell kicked off his coaching career with a job at Virginia Tech. He quickly moved on to Michigan’s staff under his former college coach before taking his first NFL coaching gig with the Panthers in 2018.

Terrell joined the Commanders franchise in 2020 and quickly earned a promotion to WRs coach, where he guided the likes of Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel. He lost out on the Cardinals OC job in 2023 but still ended up joining their staff as the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach. While Terrell struggled to get the most out of Marvin Harrison during his time in Arizona, he has played a key role in the development of Michael Wilson and (to a lesser extent) Trey McBride.

Terrell has turned into a relatively popular name during this year’s hiring cycle, as he’s scheduled interviews with the Commanders and Chargers. Now, he’ll have an opportunity to join Kevin Stefanski‘s new staff in Atlanta. While Tommy Rees is the favorite for the Falcons OC job, Terrell represents the team’s first official interview for the position.

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Kevin Stefanski To Weigh In On Falcons GM Search

By | at January 20, 2026 12:38 pm

The Falcons have made their first two major hires of the offseason in president of football operations Matt Ryan and head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Their search for a new general manager begun before those moves became official, but Stefanski is expected to “have a voice” in the search, according to The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Of course, a new head coach helping the team pick their next general manager is not much of a surprise. The process typically goes the other way around, but the Falcons’ new structure has the GM reporting to Ryan. So, hiring Stefanski first and involving him in the search will allow him to find a true partner as they work to build a team together.

It is worth noting that Ryan did not participate in the first stage of interviews, so his real influence will not come until the second round, when Stefanski will also be involved.

Had the Falcons not landed Stefanski, their other targets for second interviews were Jeff Hafley and Jesse Minter, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Both would have been immediately available for those in-person meets, which could have allowed the Falcons to move just as quickly as they did with Stefanski.

Instead, Hafley ended up in Miami, and Minter is a finalist for multiple head coaching vacancies around the league. Hafley’s new GM, former Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan, had come in from Green Bay just a few weeks before he was hired, while Minter could end up in Baltimore, where he previously worked with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta during his stint as a defensive assistant.

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Falcons Hire Bill Callahan As OL Coach

By | at January 20, 2026 11:39 am

New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski is starting to build his new staff, and his first major hire is a reunion with offensive line coach Bill Callahan, per team reporter Tori McElhaney.

Callahan, 69, is one of the most respected OL coaches in the NFL. He has coached for nine different teams, including Stefanski’s Browns from 2020 to 2023. In 2024, he followed his son and then-Browns offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, to Tennessee when he was hired as the Titans’ head coach.

Callahan’s offensive line ranked fifth and sixth in sacks allowed during his two seasons as their coach despite the team’s investments in the unit. That was representative of the entire offense, though, as their quarterbacks had a tendency to hold onto the ball for too long, partially because receivers were not open downfield.

When the Titans fired Brian Callahan in October, his father unsurprisingly left the team shortly after. In another predictable move, he followed Stefanski to Atlanta, something that was referenced by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo shortly after Stefanski was hired.

In Atlanta, Callahan will replace Dwayne Ledford, who was also the Falcons’ run game coordinator. He is expected to draw interest around the league, per Garafolo. Perhaps he could follow Arthur Smith, the coach who brought him into the NFL in 2021 after 15 years at the college level, to his next destination.

Stefanski is expected to take other Browns assistants with him. At the top of his list is offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who will likely take the same job in Atlanta

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 1-20-26 (9:10pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens 

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
  • Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
  • Chris Harris, interim defensive coordinator (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
  • Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed
  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
  • Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Interviewed
  • Jim O’Neil, defensive assistant/safeties (Lions): Interviewed

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Falcons Retain DC Jeff Ulbrich

By | at January 19, 2026 10:05 am

The Falcons have a new head coach in place, and they are among the teams set to bring in a new offensive coordinator. A full housecleaning on the sidelines will not be taking place, though.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is being retained, Atlanta announced on Monday. This news comes about thanks to a three-year contract agreement, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. Ulbrich arrived last offseason to take over the Falcons’ defense, and his success in that regard did not go unnoticed.

The Falcons blocked an attempt from the Cowboys to interview Ulbrich for their DC opening. That suggested retention was a strong possibility in his case. Indeed, when Kevin Stefanski was officially hired as the team’s new head coach, signs pointed further to Ulbrich remaining in place. Today’s confirmation thus comes as little surprise. According to ESPN’s John Keim, the Commanders were also interested in this case regarding their D-coordinator opening, but that is now a moot point.

Ulbrich was with the Falcons from 2015-20. During much of that span, he worked as the team’s linebackers coach; the 2020 campaign saw him take over interim D-coordinator duties. The following year, Ulbrich was hired by the Jets as their new defensive coordinator. The 48-year-old held that role for three years before becoming New York’s interim head coach in 2024 following Robert Saleh‘s firing.

Ulbrich returned to a familiar setting last offseason by taking on the Falcons’ DC gig. In 2025, Atlanta set a new franchise record with 57 sacks, good for second in the league. Pass rush production had been a major issue for years in the Falcons’ case, but a foundation in that regard led by first-round selections Jalon Walker and James Pearce is now in place. Ulbrich will look to continue overseeing their development while guiding a unit which also ranked in the top half of the NFL against the pass this season.

The offensive coordinator spot is likely to officially open soon, as Zac Robinson continues to weigh his options around the NFL and Stefanski prepares to arrange his staff. A number of new faces will no doubt be in place shortly, but Ulbrich will continue during his second Atlanta stint.

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Falcons Hire Kevin Stefanski As HC

By | at January 17, 2026 11:04 pm

On the day John Harbaugh‘s Giants hire became official, another major domino in the head coaching market is set to fall. Kevin Stefanski‘s next gig has been lined up.

Stefanski is finalizing a deal with the Falcons to become their next head coach, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Stefanski, 43, flew to Atlanta earlier today to meet with team officials. That interview has now produced an accepted offer, as confirmed by a team announcement. This is a five-year deal, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” a statement from new president of football Matt Ryan reads.

Ryan’s hire last week represented the first major piece of business for Atlanta. It recently become known the team’s preference was to hire a new head coach before filling the only current general manager vacancy in the NFL. Today’s news thus comes as no surprise. Likewise, the fact Stefanski is set to take charge of the Falcons fits with several reports leading up to his agreement.

At the time of his Browns firing, Stefanski loomed as the top HC candidate on the market. Shortly thereafter, Harbaugh’s dismissal changed the pecking order amongst available staffers. There was a widespread expectation Harbaugh would be the first candidate to take one of the nine available positions in this year’s cycle, with Stefanski soon to follow. In particular, the Giants and Falcons were named as frontrunners in Harbaugh’s case. Stefanski, meanwhile, was seen as Plan B for both teams. Shortly after learning Harbaugh would not be an option, Atlanta’s attention clearly shifted back to Stefanski.

Earlier today, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported Stefanski would be open to retaining Jeff Ulbrich as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator. WFAA’s Ed Werder confirms Ulbrich – who was blocked from interviewing with the Cowboys for their DC opening – is expected to remain in place. Meanwhile, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes former Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is a strong candidate to follow Stefanski to his new home.

As part of a lengthy stint with the Vikings, Stefanski spent one season as the team’s OC. That year cemented his status as one of the top head coaching candidates at the time, and his first HC opportunity came in Cleveland. The Browns won double-digit games twice during his tenure (2020 and ’23). On both occasions, Stefanski took home Coach of the Year honors.

The high points of Stefanski’s Cleveland stint brought about a pair of playoff berths but otherwise it resulted in four losing seasons. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, the Browns have won just eight games. Overall, Stefanski’s six seasons produced a record of 45-56. The Falcons will hope to provide him with a stable QB situation (although with Michael Penix Jr.‘s injury situation, that may prove difficult). In any case, a strong offensive line and a skill-position group headlined by running back Bijan Robinson and receiver Drake London awaits Stefanski.

After Arthur Smith guided them to three consecutive 7-10 seasons, the Falcons made a change on the sidelines. A reunion with Raheem Morris took place during the 2024 hiring cycle. His first year back in Atlanta ended with a finish of 8-9 and extended the team’s playoff drought. Expectations were higher for this season, one which ended on a four-game winning streak to yield another 8-9 mark. Owner Arthur Blank acted quickly once the campaign was over, firing Morris along with GM Terry Fontenot and embarking on the restructuring which has landed Ryan in a position of considerable power.

Stefanski was among the Titans’ HC finalists and was scheduled to conduct a second interview with Tennessee tomorrow. He was also a strong candidate to speak with the Ravens for their vacancy a second time. Those arrangements are now moot, while two of the NFL’s head coaching vacancies have been filled.

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Kevin Stefanski Considered ‘Top Candidate’ For Falcons HC

By | at January 17, 2026 4:00 pm

Head coaching searches are starting to come into focus this weekend. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is considered the “top candidate” for the open Falcons job. He’s set to conduct his second interview with Atlanta today and some sources believe they may attempt to pull the trigger.

The reason this could be a possibility is because, as Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS reported this morning, the Falcons are Rooney Rule compliant, so if they truly believe Stefanski is the man for them in his second interview today, they are able to hire him. The Rooney Rule requires NFL teams interviewing new head coaches or general managers to interview at least two minority candidates. The interviews must be in-person to satisfy the Rooney Rule, but Atlanta has publicly disclosed which of its interviews were virtual or in-person. Based on Jones’ report, at least two of their minority candidates must have conducted their first interview in person.

Aside from the second interview that John Harbaugh cancelled in favor of accepting the Giants’ head coaching position, no other candidate has been scheduled for a second interview in Atlanta, except for Stefanski. Stefanski, though, still has plenty of interest from other teams hoping he stays available after today’s meeting. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, he’s scheduled to head to Tennessee tomorrow following today’s interview, and the Dolphins and Ravens are both working to bring him in for second, in-person interviews on Wednesday, as well.

An indicator Stefanski may be likely to take Atlanta up on a potential offer was reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who claimed that the 43-year-old coach had done research on the potential aspect of working with current Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Team owner Arthur Blank has reportedly expressed a desire to hold on to Ulbrich, who he believes would immediately become a top DC candidate if put on the free agent market. The Cowboys requested to interview him for their open position a little over a week ago, but Blank denied their request. If Stefanski and Ulbrich seem like a good fit, the Falcons may be well on their way to filling out their staff for the 2026 NFL season.

Lots of eyes will be on reports coming out of Atlanta over the next several hours as it looks like the coaching dominos may be starting to fall. An agreement today would mark the closing of the second head coach opening in this cycle, after the Harbaugh deal was made official earlier today.

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Kevin Stefanski Likely To Take Second HC Interviews With Falcons, Ravens, Titans

By | at January 17, 2026 9:14 am

JANUARY 17: Stefanski’s second interview with the Falcons will occur today, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. He’s scheduled to meet again with the Titans on Sunday.

JANUARY 16: The first major domino in the 2026 hiring cycle has (more or less) fallen. With John Harbaugh no longer on the market, attention will turn to Kevin Stefanski and his destination.

The two-time Coach of the Year has loomed as one of the top candidates since his Browns tenure came to an expected end. Stefanski is nearing a tour of interested teams for second interviews. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the list of teams expected to arrange a follow-up includes the Falcons, Ravens and Titans.

Both Atlanta and Tennessee came up as aggressive Harbaugh suitors. The expected Giants HC is believed to have lined up a second Falcons meeting and a first Titans summit — both in-person meetings — for this week, but each ended up being canceled after Giants negotiations heated up with a deal being expected. The Titans had an offer ready.

Stefanski, 43, becomes an interesting consolation prize. The Falcons were mentioned as a team viewing Stefanski as a strong plan B, and with Harbaugh appearing Big Apple-bound, it looks like Atlanta will need to move on.

Despite being fired by the Browns, Stefanski booked six HC interviews. He also met with the Raiders, Dolphins and Giants. The six-year Browns leader won only eight games over the past two seasons, drawing Jimmy Haslam‘s ire and becoming an interesting fall guy as the Browns have struggled to stay afloat after authorizing the Deshaun Watson contract, but the two-time Coach of the Year appears on track to land a second chance immediately. Stefanski guided the Browns to their second and third playoff berths since the franchise’s 1999 relaunch, the second of which producing a Joe Flacco Comeback Player of the Year award.

The Falcons are prepared to hire a head coach before a GM. This could appeal to Stefanski, who was hired before the Browns added GM Andrew Berry back in 2020. Matt Ryan will have a significant say in personnel, stepping away from CBS to work with the team that drafted him. It remains to be seen how powerful the GM will be in this arrangement.

As for the Titans, they are prioritizing experience this time around. Of the 19 candidates Tennessee has interviewed or scheduled meetings with, 15 are former HCs. The Titans saw first-timer Brian Callahan wash out quickly; they are looking to another AFC North veteran in the wake of that firing. Despite Mike Borgonzi‘s ties to Matt Nagy, Stefanski appears an early frontrunner to land this job.

Baltimore’s search began several weeks after Tennessee’s, and having the chance to coach Lamar Jackson represents an advantage the Ravens hold over the other HC-seeking teams on this year’s market. Steve Bisciotti said this week the Ravens will consider second-chance candidates whose first tenures were rocky. Stefanski qualifies, going 45-56 in Cleveland. It would be fascinating to see Stefanski end up in Baltimore due to the history between these two franchises; it’s a scenario that appears in play.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

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