Falcons have retained defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich

For fans hoping the next Falcons head coach would retain defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, that wish has quickly been granted. Kevin Stefanski made it clear he wanted Ulbrich back, and Atlanta officially made the move Monday morning.

We have retained Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinatorhttps://t.co/fTV4eOUuOM pic.twitter.com/uUJ9gpkjdG

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 19, 2026

Since the end of the season, the Falcons had been denying teams permission to interview Jeff Ulbrich for vacant defensive coordinator positions, with owner Arthur Blank speaking very highly of his work.

“Jeff Ulbrich, in my view, he did a really fine job for us this year,” Blank said. “Certainly look at the record of sacks. And just the overall performance of defense was definitely better than it’s been in the past.”

The pass rush was a complete revelation under Jeff Ulbrich, as the Falcons finished second in the entire league in sacks, trailing only the Denver Broncos. Even more encouraging, most of that production came from players still on rookie contracts. Ulbrich maximized the impact of Atlanta’s two 2025 first-round picks, James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, while also helping players like Brandon Dorlus, Zach Harrison, and Ruke Orhorhoro take significant steps forward.

Overall, the Falcons went from one of the worst defenses in football to a league-average unit under Ulbrich’s watch. There were flashes of dominance against some of the league’s best teams, but also some head-scratchers, including surrendering 440 passing yards to Bryce Young, 230 rushing yards to Jonathan Taylor, and 27 points to a Tyrod Taylor–led New York Jets offense.

The hope is that with another year under Ulbrich and an infusion of additional talent, this defense can take the next step and become one of the most feared units in the league. They appear to be just one strong draft class away from something special on that side of the ball.

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Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

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