Life comes at you fast in the modern NFL. Just a few weeks ago it seemed inevitable that OL coach and run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford would be back with the Atlanta Falcons in 2026, but those hopes took a crushing blow after the Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski as their new coach on Saturday.
Instead of retaining Ledford like many fans expected, Stefanski decided to bring legendary OL coach Bill Callahan with him to Atlanta. It's not a decision that many fans are on board with, and the players don't seem to support it either, as Matthew Bergeron's reaction to the news sums it up pretty well.
— Matthew Bergeron (@MatthewkBerger1) January 19, 2026
On Twitter, Bergeron quote tweeted the news with one simple phrase: "Smh". Even he is shaking his head at this choice from the two-time Coach of the Year, and it's hard to blame him. He spent all three seasons of his career being coached by Ledford, so it'll be a tough transition for some linemen.
Matthew Bergeron is not on board with the Falcons moving on from Dwayne Ledford
The 49-year-old did a masterful job developing the players on Atlanta's OL, and it doesn't get talked about enough. Chris Lindstrom became one of the best guards in football under his tutelage, and Bergeron and Kaleb McGary also developed into productive starters, but that's not most impressive.
Ledford even turned Ryan Neuzil into a viable starter after Drew Dalman left and made Elijah Wilkinson look serviceable with McGary out. A coach like that is clearly respected within the locker room, so Bergeron's frustrations about not having him back with the Dirty Birds are very warranted
The 2023 second-round pick out of Syracuse is clearly frustrated, but it's not like they downgraded. Callahan has coached several elite linemen, and his hiring suggests the Falcons plan to be more physical at the line of scrimmage. Last year, Ledford was starting a lot of smaller OL, so expect that to change.
Ledford has been on the coaching staff 2021 and was retained by Raheem Morris, so it's no surprise Bergeron is upset about losing the man who developed him into one of the best guards in football. But Callahan's track record suggests his development will only continue in the coming years.
Ledford was taking career backups and practice squad players and molded them into his system with relative ease. His track record speaks for itself, and that's why he'll be one of the most coveted offensive line coaches available this offseason, so it'll sting to not have him back in Atlanta.