The last time the Atlanta Falcons had Raheem Morris and Jeff Ulbrich on the same coaching staff it was the worst season in recent history. The Falcons would finish the year 4-12 and waste the final good year of Matt Ryan's career. Atlanta was lost on defense and the complete opposite of clutch causing the team to fire Dan Quinn five games into the season. For a head coach that was well-respected, it tells you just how dark things had gotten in Atlanta.
Still, the Falcons brought in Raheem Morris sold on the head coach after winning a Super Bowl with the Rams and having a full season to install his system. Things seemed to be going well early on with the Falcons getting off to a 6-3 start before completely collapsing down the stretch of the season. Morris remained safe finishing the year 8-9 and opting to start fresh at the defensive coordinator position.
Why would Atlanta even consider turning back the clock to the 2020 season?
The Falcons are getting the band back together hiring Jeff Ulbrich as the team's new defensive coordinator. It was the hire Atlanta Falcons fans were all expecting the team to make with Morris having a history of hiring connections over resumes. It hurt the head coach with his last decision at the position and there was hope he had learned from his mistake.
However, the head coach instead opted to double-down on his process bringing in Ulbrich to rebuild the coaching staff no one wanted. The worst season in recent Atlanta history had the exact same leadership in place with similar offensive talent. Opting to rebuild it signals another step back for an organization that simply cannot get out of their own way.
This isn't to say Ulbrich isn't an experienced coach or hasn't had a solid career. Rather it is pointing out it is more of the same from an Atlanta team that cannot get the simple things correct. We've seen this pairing before with a very similar roster and the Falcons could never get out of their own way.
Poor situational coaching and being the opposite of clutch is what defined the 2020 Atlanta Falcons. Opting to re-create your leadership from that season is beyond questionable. It is yet another reason for fans to question the team's decision-making in what will be a pivotal offseason.