Arthur Blank Weighs Jeff Ulbrich’s Future as Falcons Reset Coaching Staff

ATLANTA – Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Thursday the team would like to retain defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich following a franchise-record defensive season

“Jeff Ulbrich, in my view, did a really fine job for us this year,” Blank affirmed. “You can certainly look at the record of sacks, and just the overall performance of defense was definitely better than what it had been in the past.”

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After years of issues on the defensive side of the ball, Ulbrich brought stability and helped this unit break records in the process. Not only did their 57 sacks set a new franchise record, but it also marked just the second time in franchise history that they eclipsed the 50-sack threshold.

The Falcons also finished in the top half of the NFL in total defense and passing defense, while in the top 20 in scoring and expected points added (EPA) per play. They did this despite dealing with injuries to several critical pieces at various points in the season.

Given those results, the expectation around the league is that Atlanta will try to retain Ulbrich if possible.

“I think he's a heck of a coach,” linebacker Josh Woods said on Monday. “He created a heck of a culture that I hope you guys could see on the field and developed a true connection with each and every one of the guys.”

The Falcons, who are looking for their fourth coach since the start of the 2020 season, are back in the mix in 2026. They have already begun with their requests for interviews in what figures to be a busy couple of weeks.

One topic that has emerged this week is what to make of the future at defensive coordinator, a role that has turned over in Atlanta each of the last four years.

While many would want Ulbrich to remain in Atlanta, Blank stopped short of saying that he would make it a ‘requirement’ for the new regime to comply with.

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“You can't dictate to a new head coach who their coaches are going to be, but I certainly would recommend to a new head coach that they consider Jeff based on his track record,” Blank explained, citing his defensive performances both in Atlanta and in New York. “I would certainly recommend somebody consider him, but it's not something we can require.”

The retention of Ulbrich may also provide the Falcons with the runway to acquire an offensive-minded coach to take over the opposite side of the ball. Atlanta has reportedly put in requests for several such candidates, and the ability that the Falcons’ defensive play-caller has shown could be more evidence that this job could be more appealing than most.