Takeaways in Falcons Defensive Coordinator Search: Atlanta Admitting Past Mistake

The Atlanta Falcons have interviewed seven candidates for their defensive coordinator vacancy, and six share the same trait: experience with NFL play-calling.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris appears to be seeking experience in his next defensive coordinator.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris appears to be seeking experience in his next defensive coordinator. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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When Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris started building his staff after being hired last January, he brought two coordinators with him from the Los Angeles Rams.

Morris hired offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who had an up-and-down first season but performed well late and earned the right to remain with the organization, and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, who was fired Jan. 11.

Both Robinson and Lake were first-time play-callers at the NFL level. Robinson, apart from brief action in the 2023 preseason, had never called plays in general, while Lake had four years as a defensive coordinator at the University of Washington from 2016-19.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank hired Morris in part because Morris assured Blank he'd learned the value in hiring a deep, quality staff. Firing the defensive coordinator brought along with you is far from ideal.

But the Falcons are admitting their lapse in judgement thus far in the process of finding Lake's replacement.

Atlanta has announced completed interviews with seven candidates:
- former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo
- University of Michigan defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale
- former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator and current Green Bay Packers pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley
- Pittsburgh Steelers secondary coach Grady Brown
- former New York Jets defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich
- former Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks
- former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus

The common -- albeit not universal -- theme? Experience calling plays at the NFL level.

Anarumo, Martindale, Ulbrich, Wilks and Eberflus all have several years of NFL defensive coordinator experience under their belt. Ansley called three games for the Chargers in 2023 while holding the defensive coordinator title all season.

Only Brown, whose four-year stint in Pittsburgh's secondary followed his time as Old Dominion University's co-defensive coordinator in 2020, lacks tenure as an NFL defensive coordinator.

Ulbrich, Wilks and Eberflus each have NFL head coaching experience, while Martindale and Anarumo have been assistants for over two decades.

The Falcons feel they have a handful of foundational pieces on defense, headlined by safety Jessie Bates III, cornerback A.J. Terrell, linebacker Kaden Elliss and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Atlanta also has several holes to fill.

At linebacker, the Falcons need to add more athleticism and coverage skills next to Elliss. Despite a late surge, their pass rush still ranked second-to-last in the league with 31 sacks. Three starting defensive backs -- safety Justin Simmons and cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Dee Alford -- will enter free agency this spring, though Alford is a restricted free agent.

In essence, Atlanta has a solid place to build from, but it needs consistency moving forward. The Falcons' 2025 defensive coordinator will be their seventh different play-caller in the past eight seasons. Atlanta hasn't employed the same defensive coordinator for more than two seasons since Mike Nolan from 2012-14.

And after Lake's one-and-done run, the Falcons want consistency -- and evidently, unlike last year, they're turning toward experienced play-callers to find it.


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Daniel Flick
DANIEL FLICK

Daniel Flick is an accredited NFL writer for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Daniel has provided boots-on-ground coverage at the NFL Combine and from the Atlanta Falcons' headquarters, among other destinations, and contributed to the annual Lindy's Sports Magazine ahead of the 2023 offseason. Daniel is a co-host on the 404TheFalcon podcast and previously wrote for the Around the Block Network and Georgia Sports Hospitality Media.