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Falcons Hire Jeff Ulbrich As DC

January 18th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Atlanta has spent this week looking into several candidates for the vacant defensive coordinator position. With the interview process complete, a decision has quickly been made.

Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich is set to receive the Falcons’ DC position, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. An announcement from the team has since confirmed the news. This will represent a return to Atlanta while also confirming that he will not be tapped for New York’s full-time head coaching gig.

Ulbrich started his pro coaching career in Seattle before a three-year stint at UCLA. That time on the West Coast was followed by a role on the Falcons’ staff beginning in 2015. He served as the team’s linebackers coach for five years, eventually having assistant head coach added to his title. Midway through the 2020 campaign, Ulbrich was promoted to interim defensive coordinator.

Of course, that development came when Raheem Morris – who worked alongside Ulbrich in that same 2015-20 stretch – took over from Dan Quinn as interim head coach. Morris returned to the Falcons this past offseason to lead the team, and his familiarity with Ulbrich made the latter a strong contender for this hire. Now, Ulbrich will handle coordinator duties for the fifth full season in 2025 after guiding the Jets’ defense since 2021.

The 47-year-old drew praise for his work in that capacity during much of his time in New York. The Jets finished last in the NFL in yards allowed in Ulbrich’s first season at the helm, but since then the team has finished no worse than fourth in that department. With respect to points surrendered, New York was generally unable to match that success, including during Ulbrich’s time as interim head coach.

The Jets fired Robert Saleh after Week 5 in an attempt to spark a midseason turnaround. That did not prove to be the case, with the team’s offense in many instances failing to live up to expectations. The was often true on the other side of the ball despite the fact Ulbrich continued calling defensive plays after his promotion to interim HC. Still, after finishing the season 2-9, he interviewed for the full-time position before doing the same this week for the Falcons’ DC gig.

New York has cast a wide net in search of a new coach, but another candidate can now be crossed off the list of contenders on that front. Ulbrich will turn his attention to helping the Falcons improve on defense moving forward. The team ranked 23rd in points and yards allowed this past season, the first with Jimmy Lake as defensive coordinator. Lake was fired after the campaign ended, and starting in 2025 plenty of room for improvement exists against both the run and pass in Atlanta’s case. Once again, the team struggled in the pass-rush department this in 2024, ranking 31st in the NFL with 31.

Part of a busy offseason for the Falcons last year included the trade for edge rusher Matt Judon and the signing of safety Justin Simmons. Both are pending free agents, so finding replacements at each of those positions could be a priority on defense for Ulbrich and Co. in the near future. In any case, he will look to guide a rebound on that side of the ball in Atlanta and in doing so help the team move past a disappointing end to the 2024 campaign and boost his future head coaching stock in the process.

Here is the final breakdown of how the Falcons’ search played out:

  • Lou Anarumo, former defensive coordinator (Cincinnati Bengals): Interviewed 1/15
  • Derrick Ansley, pass-game coordinator (Atlanta Falcons): Interviewed 1/16
  • Grady Brown, secondary coach (Pittsburgh Steelers): Interviewed 1/17
  • Matt Eberflus, former head coach (Chicago Bears): Interviewed 1/18
  • Wink Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Interviewed 1/14
  • Jeff Ulbrich, interim head coach (New York Jets): Hired
  • Steve Wilks, former defensive coordinator (San Francisco 49ers): Interviewed 1/17

Falcons Interview Matt Eberflus For Defensive Coordinator Job

January 18th, 2025 at 11:06am CST by Ben Levine

It might not take long for Matt Eberflus to find his next gig. The Falcons announced that they interviewed the former Bears head coach for their defensive coordinator job.

After getting fired by the Bears in late November, it didn’t take long for Eberflus to pop back up during the hiring cycle. Reports tied him to the DC vacancy in Cincinnati, although there hasn’t been word of a definitive interview. Now, he’s a candidate with the Falcons, who have been seeking a replacement for Jimmy Lake.

Eberflus would bring plenty of experience to the role. After working his way up the college ranks, he got his first NFL gig with the Browns coaching linebackers. He held that same title with the Cowboys before getting hired as the Colts defensive coordinator in 2018. Indy’s defense finished top-10 in points allowed in three of the coach’s four seasons at the helm, and Eberflus quickly became a popular head coaching candidate.

He got that opportunity in Chicago, where he was named the Bears head coach in 2022. Eberflus squeezed only three wins out of his team during his first season, but he guided the squad to seven wins in 2023. Armed with first-overall pick Caleb Williams and a handful of notable offseason acquisitions, the Bears were prepared to take another step forward in 2024. After riding a 4-2 record into their Week 7 bye, the Bears proceeded to go on an epic losing streak. Eberflus was let go six games into the Bears’ eventual 10-game skid.

It sounds like Eberflus’ stint in Chicago didn’t tarnish his reputation, and he’ll now join a growing list of candidates to coach the Falcons’ defense. As our 2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker shows, the Falcons have now interviewed seven candidates for the DC job:

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 11/17/25

January 17th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s reserve/futures contracts around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Falcons Conduct DC Interview With Steelers’ Grady Brown

January 17th, 2025 at 3:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

The list of candidates for the Falcons’ defensive coordinator spot continues to grow. Steelers secondary coach Grady Brown will interview for the position today, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The team has since announced the meeting has taken place.

Brown spent time with the Seahawks and Chiefs as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship in 2004 and ’07, respectively. That was followed by a lengthy college coaching tenure; from 2009-19, Brown worked at LSU, Southern Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisville and Old Dominion. He spent much of that time working with defensive backs.

In 2021, Brown was hired by the Steelers to serve as the team’s secondary coach. He has remained in that capacity ever since, working with a unit currently highlighted by cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Pittsburgh ranked third in the league in interceptions in 2024, keeping in line with the team’s recent success with respect to forcing turnovers. While the Steelers finished 25th against the pass this past year, Brown’s work has landed him on the radar of at least one coordinator gig.

Atlanta had Jimmy Lake in place as DC for the 2024 campaign, the first with Raheem Morris as head coach in his return to the team. Lake guided the unit to a 23rd-place finish in total and scoring defense, though, and he was dismissed after the campaign. Several candidates have received a look in the search for his replacements.

Lou Anarumo (formerly of the Bengals), Don Martindale (in place at Michigan after multiple NFL gigs), Jeff Ulbrich (who finished 2024 as interim Jets head coach), Derrick Ansley (pass game coordinator for the Packers) as well as Steve Wilks (longtime NFL coach) have already interviewed with Atlanta this week. Brown’s name is the sixth on the list of contenders for the position, although finalists will likely not be known until a second round of interviews is conducted.

Falcons Interview Derrick Ansley For DC Job

January 16th, 2025 at 6:13pm CST by Ben Levine

There’s another name to add to the list of Falcons defensive coordinator candidates. The team announced that they interviewed Packers pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley today for their DC job.

[RELATED: Falcons Interview Jeff Ulbrich For DC Gig]

After spending close to two decades in the college ranks (plus a brief one-year stop with the Raiders), Ansley quickly worked his way up the Chargers coaching hierarchy. After spending two seasons as the team’s defensive backs coach, Ansley was named LA’s defensive coordinator ahead of the 2023 campaign.

The Chargers defense only ranked 24th in points allowed and 28th in yards allowed that season, and the staff was naturally reworked following Jim Harbaugh‘s hiring. Still, Ansley’s reputation clearly didn’t suffer, as he garnered an interview last offseason for the Giants DC job. He ultimately landed in Green Bay as the pass game coordinator, and the Packers proceeded to finish the 2024 campaign ranked third in interceptions (17) and ninth in touchdowns allowed (23).

The Falcons recently moved on from defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake after one season with the team. Just this week, the team has already interviewed former Ravens/Giants DC Wink Martindale, Jets interim HC Jeff Ulbrich, and former Bengals DC Lou Anarumo.

Falcons Interview Jeff Ulbrich For DC Gig

January 15th, 2025 at 6:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons recently moved on from defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake after one season with the team. Atlanta’s search for his replacement continues to expand.

Atlanta interviewed Jeff Ulbrich for the DC position on Wednesday, per a team announcement. The Jets’ interim head coach interviewed for the team’s full-time gig earlier this week, but he has not garnered attention this year for any of the other vacancies. Ulbrich’s experience at the coordinator level makes him an interesting candidate for this year’s hiring cycle, though.

The 47-year-old’s coaching tenure began in 2010, and after three seasons at UCLA he returned to the pro level. Ulbrich joined the Falcons’ staff in 2015 as their linebackers coach, continuing in that role for five years. In 2020, he had assistant head coach added to his title and also closed out the campaign as interim defensive coordinator. That was the year in which then-DC Raheem Morris was promoted to interim head coach following Dan Quinn‘s dismissal.

As a result, another Falcons opportunity would represent not only a reunion for Ulbrich but a chance to once again work under Morris. The latter’s first season as Atlanta’s head coach did not go according to plan, in no small part due to a stretch of underwhelming quarterback play from veteran QB Kirk Cousins. While Atlanta has a succession plan in the form of Michael Penix Jr., improvement on defense will be a goal for 2025. The Falcons ranked 23rd in points and yards allowed, a key factor in the team’s inability to reach the postseason. Ulbrich has overseen the Jets’ defense since 2021, a unit which posted mix results over that span (including poor outings once he took over from Robert Saleh midway through the past season).

Atlanta has an interview lined up with former Bengals DC Lou Anarumo, and yesterday the team met with ex-Ravens and Giants D-coordinator Don Martindale. Both staffers are on the Colts’ radar, but that is not the case (for now, at least) with respect to Steve Wilks. The veteran coach is also on Atlanta’s interview list, one which has another experienced name on it in the form of Ulbrich.

Falcons To Interview Steve Wilks For DC Job

January 15th, 2025 at 2:10pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Falcons are interviewing longtime NFL coach Steve Wilks for their vacant defensive coordinator position, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Wilks’ most recent NFL gig was as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2023, where his defense ranked among the league’s top-10 in yards and points allowed. Though the 49ers made the Super Bowl, they elected to fire Wilks shortly after their loss to the Chiefs.

The 55-year-old has an extensive coaching history – mostly overseeing the secondary – starting with a 20-year career in the college ranks at schools such as Notre Dame and the University of Washington. Wilks then moved to the NFL as the defensive backs coach for the Bears (2006-2008), Chargers (2009-2011), and Panthers (2012-2016). He led Carolina’s defense to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance in his first year as defensive coordinator in 2017, setting him up to take the Cardinals’ head-coaching gig the next year.

Wilks was fired after a 3-13 debut season in Arizona and has since spent time with five college and pro teams. He was the defensive coordinator for the Browns in 2019 and the University of Missouri in 2021. In 2022, he returned to Carolina as their secondary coach and led the team to a 6-6 record as interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired in October.

Wilks spent the 2024 season in North Carolina, serving as a volunteer advisor for the UNC Charlotte 49ers. He also interviewed for the head coaching job in Chapel Hill that ultimately went to Bill Belichick.

The Falcons seem intent on adding an experienced defensive coordinator to replace Jimmy Lake on Raheem Morris‘ staff. They already interviewed former Ravens and Giants DC Don ‘Wink’ Martindale, and ex-Bengals DC Lou Anarumo is on tap for Thursday. Atlanta may have to move quickly to secure their desired candidate, as both Anarumo and Wilks are expected to interview with the Colts for their defensive coordinator job, too.

Wink Martindale Interviews For Falcons’ DC Job, To Meet With Colts; Bengals On Radar

January 14th, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a year out of the NFL, Wink Martindale is squarely on the radar to return. Two teams have set up interviews with the veteran defensive coordinator, while a third could be eyeing the Michigan DC.

The Falcons announced they have completed an interview with the former Ravens and Giants DC. Martindale is scheduled to meet about the Colts‘ job Wednesday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Despite a turbulent New York exit, Martindale looks to be aiming to follow ex-Baltimore coworker Mike Macdonald by turning a one-year Ann Arbor stay into a return to the league.

In addition to Martindale’s Falcons and Colts meetings, Pelissero points out the Bengals — who fired Lou Anarumo after six seasons in that role — could have interest. Business is picking up for a coach who had previously ascended to the HC carousel. The Colts interviewed Martindale twice for the job Shane Steichen landed; Steichen will now determine if a fit will exist with one of his former competitors.

Martindale’s most recent NFL act certainly caught interest. After the Giants fired two of his lieutenants, Martindale stormed into Brian Daboll’s office and resigned his post. This came after the brash DC was accused of going rogue at points during the 2023 season. Rumblings about a Martindale-Daboll separation lingered for much of that ’23 campaign, and the dustup combusted quickly. The Jaguars were the only team to interview Martindale for their DC job last year, leading him to Michigan.

The Wolverines ranked 19th in points allowed per game (19.9) this season, marking only a slight step back from Jim Harbaugh‘s unbeaten national champion team. Martindale’s unit came for an 8-5 Michigan squad, with the Big Ten program’s defense in far better shape than its offense (113th in scoring) in its first post-Harbaugh season.

After a poor showing running the 2010 Broncos’ defense, Martindale found his footing with the Ravens. Baltimore’s defense ranked in the top three in scoring each year from 2018-20, before a step back commenced in 2021. The Ravens moved on from their DC, hiring Macdonald from the Michigan staff, in 2022. A Giants team thought to be rebuilding saw its defense climb to 17th in scoring defense in 2022, helping an undermanned team reach the divisional round. New York’s unit regressed in 2023, however.

Anarumo will be competing with Martindale for two of these jobs, with the former Bengals DC up for the Colts and Falcons’ positions as well. The veteran staffer will meet with the Colts on Wednesday and Falcons on Thursday, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds. While these jobs are available now, a host of new ones will likely be opening up once teams decide on HCs. Anarumo is on a few prospective HCs’ lists, Breer adds, pointing to a second-chance opportunity being more likely than not for the well-regarded coordinator.

Falcons To Conduct DC Interview With Lou Anarumo

January 14th, 2025 at 10:41am CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons are among the teams to make coordinator changes this offseason. DC Jimmy Lake was dismissed over the weekend, and the search for his replacement will be worth monitoring.

Former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will interview with the Falcons for their vacancy, as first reported by NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe. Confirming the news, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution adds the meeting will take place on Thursday. This marks the second DC gig Anarumo has been connected to.

The 58-year-old had a lengthy college coaching career before joining the pro ranks with the Dolphins. Anarumo spent six years coaching Miami’s defensive backs before doing the same with the Giants in 2018. That was followed by his first full-time NFL coordinator opportunity as he joined Zac Taylor‘s initial Bengals staff. His six-year run in that capacity came to an end after this season.

The Bengals’ best season on defense under Anarumo came in 2022, when the team finished sixth in points allowed. On four other occasions, though, Cincinnati ranked outside the top 20 in that category; that includes this past campaign, one in which the Bengals were hampered by injuries in the secondary but still fell short of even moderate expectations. Despite quarterback Joe Burrow leading the league in passing yards and wideout Ja’Marr Chase winning the ‘Triple Crown’ (by topping the NFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns), Cincinnati finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.

While the Bengals search out a replacement coordinator, Anarumo may not need to wait long to find his next opportunity. He is expected to be among the candidates to interview for the Colts’ DC position, one which was created after the season with the firing of Gus Bradley. In addition to Indianapolis interest, Anarumo has found himself on Atlanta’s radar.

During Lake’s first year with the Falcons – which doubled as his debut campaign as an NFL coordinator – Atlanta ranked 23rd in total and scoring defense. Once again, a lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks was a problem; the team finished with only 31 sacks, the second-fewest in the NFL. Taking a step forward in that department will be a goal for 2025. Under Anarumo this year, the Bengals ranked just 24th in sacks despite Trey Hendrickson leading the league with 17.5.

This marks the first known candidate for the Falcons as they look to improve on Lake’s performance on defense. It will be interesting to see how Anarumo’s interview shakes out and where else the team looks for potential hires.

Falcons Fire DC Jimmy Lake

January 11th, 2025 at 10:37pm CST by Ely Allen

The coaching turnover continues. Atlanta will officially be looking for a new defensive coordinator as NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the Falcons have fired Jimmy Lake. In addition to Lake, Atlanta has let go of defensive line coach Jay Rodgers, as well.

Lake, a very experienced defensive backs coach with four universities and four NFL teams on his résumé, was in his first year as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. Following a playing career in college, Lake immediately jumped into coaching. With seven years of college coaching under his belt, Lake got his first NFL coaching opportunity as the assistant defensive backs coach in Tampa Bay under then-defensive backs coach Raheem Morris.

Lake was poached away by the Lions, taking his first full position coaching gig in the NFL as defensive backs coach in Detroit in 2008. After the team famously finished winless, though, the entire coaching staff was let go. After a year hiatus, Lake found himself back in Tampa Bay under Morris, who by that time had become head coach. This time, Lake served in the full role of defensive backs coach. Both Morris and Lake were fired in 2011.

At this point Lake parted ways with Morris, heading back to the collegiate ranks of coaching. He began a stint at the University of Washington in 2014 (his second stint in Seattle) that saw his biggest coaching progressions to date. After two years as defensive backs coach for the Huskies, Lake added the title of co-defensive coordinator for two more years before officially being named defensive coordinator, his first coordinator position at any level.

After two years in that role, then-head coach Chris Petersen stepped down with Lake serving as his successor, earning his first head coaching gig in football. In Lake’s second year on the job, though, controversy arose when he hit a player in the facemask and shoved him in the back while separating him from a sideline scrum. He was suspended without pay and, a week later, let go.

After another hiatus, Lake spent the 2023 campaign back in the NFL as assistant head coach for the Rams, rejoining Morris, who was the defensive coordinator in Los Angeles at the time. When Morris was hired as head coach in Atlanta, he brought Lake in for his first NFL coordinator gig. The Falcons defense struggled, though, finishing 23rd in both points and yards allowed. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Morris became more involved in coaching the defense, realizing improvement was needed on that side of the ball.

Rodgers was working his fourth defensive line coaching gig in the NFL. He had previously served with the Broncos, Bears, and Chargers, coaching Pro Bowlers such as Elvis Dumervil, DeMarcus Ware, Akiem Hicks, and Joey Bosa. The pass rush was a big issue for the Falcons this season, as they finished with only 31 — three away from the lowest team total in the league.

Morris and Atlanta will join a number of other teams looking to fill a coordinator role. The team will likely hire the coordinator and let them fill the defensive line coaching role, unless Morris plans to continue to have control in coaching the defense. If that’s the case, Morris may hire his own preference for the position.

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