Falcons to Lose Key Assistant Among New Hires

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons have officially hired former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski to take over their franchise. The team announced the news on Saturday night, and by Sunday, there were more decisions that came to light as the new staff is put together.

News will continue to evolve at the coordinator position, but one major piece of the puzzle has reportedly been highlighted. According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the Falcons will be bringing in Bill Callahan to coach the offensive line. The correlating result of this move is that longtime offensive line coach and run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford will become a free agent.

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Callahan spent the last two seasons with the Tennessee Titans as the offensive line coach for his son, Brian Callahan. He held the same role with the Cleveland Browns under Stefanski from 2020 to 2023, and the pair had two playoff appearances in that span.

The longtime position coach is one of the most respected offensive line coaches in the NFL. He started his coaching career in 1980 at the collegiate level before moving to the NFL. In his time at the professional level, he has made stops with the Philadelphia Eagles, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, and the Washington Commanders.

Atlanta has a solid offensive line, featuring a four-time All-Pro right guard in Chris Lindstrom and several veterans. Right tackle Kaleb McGary is also expected to return after suffering a season-ending injury just before the season kicked off.

Ledford had been with the team as its offensive line coach since 2021, with the run game coordinator title being added on in 2024. In 2024, the Falcons’ offensive line blocked for an offense that ranked sixth in the league with 369.8 yards per game and 10th in rushing yards per game (130.5). In 2025, the Falcons’ offensive line blocked for an offense that ranked 14th with 333.0 yards per game and eighth in rushing yards per game (125.8).

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The respected offensive line coach stated after the season that he was interested in staying in Atlanta, but now he will be seeking a new team for the 2026 season.

According to other reports, the Falcons are expected to retain defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich; however, the status of the offensive coordinator position remains unclear. Bill Callahan’s son Brian, who was the head coach in Tennessee over the last two seasons, could be a candidate for this position, as could Tommy Rees.

More moves are expected to be made over the next few days, but the general manager position remains the biggest remaining need for the Falcons.