Atlanta Falcons name Jeff Ulbrich defensive coordinator

Staff Reports

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons have named Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator, the team announced Saturday.

Ulbrich arrives in Atlanta after four seasons as defensive coordinator for the New York Jets while also serving as the team’s interim head coach the final 13 weeks of the 2024 season.

Ulbrich’s defense with the Jets was the only defense in the league to rank in the top five of total defense in each of the last three seasons, finishing fourth in 2022 before finishing third in both 2023 and 2024. In the last three seasons combined, Ulbrich’s defense at New York ranked No. 1 in total defense (305.7 yards per game), No. 1 in passing defense (183.5 yards per game), No. 5 in tackles for loss (269), No. 8 in sacks (136) and No. 9 in scoring defense (21.1 points per game).

In addition to finishing third in total defense in 2024, the Jets defense was fourth in passing defense, allowing only 192.6 yards per game while ranking seventh in sacks per pass attempt at a rate of 8.25 percent.

The 292.3 yards per game allowed in 2023 ranked eighth in Jets’ history, allowing under 300 yards for just the 13th time in franchise history and the first since 2010. In addition to a top-three finish in total defense in 2023, the Jets allowed just 4.6 yards per play, the lowest average in the league.

Ulbrich guided cornerback Sauce Gardner to first-team All-Pro accolades in 2022-23, with Gardner becoming the first cornerback since the merger to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons (2022-23), while also being selected as a Pro Bowl starter in each of his first two seasons. Additionally, Ulbrich saw linebacker Quincy Williams earn First-Team All-Pro and Team MVP honors, second-year linebacker Jermaine Johnson earn Pro Bowl honors and former first-round draft selection Quinnen Williams earn Pro Bowl honors.

In 2022, Ulbrich’s defense allowed an average of just 18.59 points per game, good for fourth in the NFL, and was the only team to not allow a 300-yard passer. Additionally, the unit only allowed six players to hit 100 rushing or receiving yards in a game, tied for the best in the NFL. Ulbrich saw his team finish top five in the NFL in almost all defensive categories.

Prior to New York, Ulbrich spent six seasons in Atlanta where he served as linebackers coach (2015-19), assistant head coach/linebackers (2020) and interim defensive coordinator (2020). During Ulbrich’s time in Atlanta, he worked under Head Coach Raheem Morris during Morris’ time as interim head coach, serving as the interim defensive coordinator for the final 11 games of the 2020 season. In those final 11 games, the Falcons ranked in the top third of the league in opponents third-down percentage and opposing red zone touchdown percentage, while also allowing the sixth-fewest rushing yards per game.

The San Jose, Calif., native began coaching with the Seattle Seahawks as a special teams assistant from 2010-11. He then spent three years at the collegiate level at UCLA, serving as assistant head coach/linebackers/special teams (2012-13) and defensive coordinator (2014).