The Atlanta Falcons needed to improve their defense after a lackluster showing last season — and head coach Raheem Morris turned to a familiar face to take on the challenge.
That face is Jeff Ulbrich, who reunited with Morris after serving as the interim head coach of the New York Jets last season. The two previously worked together in Atlanta back in 2020, when Morris was the interim head coach and named Ulbrich to oversee the defense.
"This hire will give Atlanta's head coach a coordinator with a track record of success who he trusts fully to oversee one side of the football,” Falcons staff writer Will McFadden wrote. “Ulbrich's history as a player and reputation for being well-liked by virtually all who have worked with him before should resonate within the locker room as well, continuing to build a culture that was established in Morris' first year."
Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot didn’t just bring Ulbrich in — they made sure to surround him with talent. The Falcons made one of the boldest moves of the 2025 NFL Draft, trading back into the first round to secure not one but two first-round picks.
The additions of edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. could be the difference-maker for a defense that desperately needs to find its identity. Last season, the Falcons finished with just 31 sacks — second-worst in the NFL. By comparison, the eighth-ranked team, the Green Bay Packers, finished with 45.
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr believes the Falcons' revamped defense, paired with Ulbrich’s leadership, could lead to big-time recognition.
“The Falcons’ defense will improve from second-to-last in the NFL in sacks to eighth, with both rookie first-round picks—Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr.—contributing at least six to the total,” Orr wrote in his bold predictions for 2025.
If that prediction holds true, Ulbrich could go from a midseason interim stint in New York to the NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year — with Atlanta reaping all the rewards.
