In the NFL, good things don't last forever, and the Atlanta Falcons are about to learn that message. After Jeff Ulbrich turned around their defense practically overnight in 2025, the Falcons know Ulbrich is becoming a hot commodity in NFL coaching circles, and a head coaching gig may be in his future.
Atlanta put on the full-court press to retain the 49-year-old when Kevin Stefanski was hired, and it sure sounds like they're going to get as much as they can out of him. But it's starting to become inevitable that he won't be in A-Town much longer because he will get his shot as a head coach.
Ulbrich was part of the NFL's accelerator program this offseason for future head coaches, and even Stefanski thinks he deserves that opportunity--so it's only a matter of time. But the Falcons are already preparing themselves for that reality by molding a defensive assistant into their future DC.
Patrick Toney is a name to watch to be the Falcons' DC post-Jeff Ulbrich
You'd think that defensive line coach Nate Ollie would be the favorite to take over if Ulbrich leaves, but there's a real shot they become a package deal and they leave together. So that means that defensive pass game coordinator Patrick Toney could soon become a name to watch down the line.
Toney spent the last three seasons as the defensive backs coach with the Arizona Cardinals, where he developed players such as Will Johnson, Denzel Burke, and Max Melton into dependable starting corners. And it's not like he won't have plenty of talent to work with now that he's with the Dirty Birds.
The 36-year-old has become such a rapid riser in coaching circles that he accepted the defensive coordinator job at Ole Miss earlier this offseason. He was prepared to reunite with old friend Pete Golding and return to the college ranks, but when Mike Rutenberg left Atlanta, a new option became available.
This guy had a DC role in the palm of his hands, but chose to join Ulbrich and this Falcons staff--where he'll be working with A.J. Terrell, Avieon Terrell, Jessie Bates, Xavier Watts, Sydney Brown, Billy Bowman Jr. and Mike Hughes. That group isn't too shabby for the young assistant in his first season.
The Falcons have seen Toney rise through the ranks, and the more strides this secondary takes, the more comfortable Stefanski will feel promoting him should Ulbrich eventually leave. And spending this season learning from him and learning this system should certainly help his potential DC case.
The Atlanta Falcons have high hopes for Patrick Toney, and the more he impresses, the more likely it is his name comes up in conversations when it's time to replace Jeff Ulbrich.
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