Falcons set up to lose key Jeff Ulbrich assistant to most obvious team

Even though the Atlanta Falcons hired their new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, there aren’t a ton of changes to the coaching staff as of right now. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was retained by the Falcons, and Justin Hood who is the team’s secondary coach was requested to interview with the 49ers, but Atlanta blocked it which shows what Hood means to them.

The defense is looking to stay the same as much as possible, but now it may take a little bit of a hit. According to Jeremy Fowler, the Titans have requested to interview Falcons’ defensive pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg for their open defensive coordinator position.

Falcons could lose key defensive assistant to Robert Saleh and Titans

Fowler reported that Rutenberg has worked with Saleh in the past, including when they were with the Jets where Rutenberg coached the linebacker group. Saleh was a solid hire for Tennessee, but he still has to find his new offensive and defensive coordinators.

Familiarity is something that Saleh is looking to have and it makes sense. He has the pressure to succeed in his second head coaching gig, and he needs to hire the best candidates possible. At the same time, possibly Rutenberg could very well hurt Atlanta’s defense.

While Ulbrich is a great defensive caller, he needs his coaches to deliver with their respected groups that they work with on the field. Rutenberg helped this Atlanta pass-defense play some great ball last season and while it wouldn’t be the worst thing to lose him, it surely isn’t an easy loss either.

If Rutenberg does indeed leave Atlanta for Tennessee, then the Falcons will have to figure out with Ulbrich who can help keep the secondary as stable as possible. This may look like a simple replacement for Atlanta if Rutenberg does indeed leave, but it is bigger than fans may think.