Since Raheem Morris was fired, the burning question on most Atlanta Falcons' fans minds is whether or not Jeff Ulbrich will be back in 2026. The first-year coordinator helped turn around the Falcons defense practically overnight, yet his future in Atlanta lies in the hands of the team's next head coach.
The fanbase and players want him back, but more importantly, Arthur Blank wants him back next season. While the Falcons' owner was addressing the media on Thursday afternoon, he sent a clear message to the new regime, recommending the coaching staff keep Ulbrich on the staff as the DC.
Blank on Ulbrich: You can't dictate to the new head coach who their coordinators would be, but I'd certainly recommend to the new head coach to consider Ulbrich. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) January 8, 2026
Obviously, given his hands-off approach, Ulbrich's fate doesn't lie in Blank's hands, but he still made his stance clear. It's promising to know that he is finally listening to the fanbase, but publicly forcing an unknown coaching staff into a decision isn't something that'll go over very well with the new coach.
Keeping Jeff Ulbrich on staff isn't as simple as Falcons fans realize
The Dirty Birds ranked 15th in the NFL in total defense in 2025, but that doesn't tell the whole picture. They broke the single-season franchise sacks record this season, and that record came with two rookie pass-rushers leading the charge, one of whom led the team (and all rookies) with 10.5 sacks.
The record also came one season after they finished second-to-last in the NFL in sacks under Jimmy Lake. The pass-rush was a sore spot for years in Atlanta, and it took him one season to turn the defensive line into something that'll strike fear into the hearts of opposing offenses everywhere.
It was no secret that keeping the 48-year-old is a priortity this offseason even before Blank got to the podium. They have been blocking DC interview requests for Ulbrich, meaning that the front office won't let him go that easy, which has made for some puzzling behavior given the circumstances.
However, while Blank's words are also encouraging, they're also highly alarming. The next head coach deserves the right to fulfill his vision as he sees fit, which means he should be allowed to hire the coaching staff he is most comfortable with rather than be saddled with a DC from the prior regime.
There's a chance that the new coach may want to go another direction with the defense, but hopefully this is not the case. Like Blank said, hopefully the Falcons can keep Ulbrich in Atlanta, but basically forcing a marriage between him and the new staff was the wrong way to go about this.