Kevin Stefanski's Falcons coaching staff is already coming together, starting with retaining the team's defensive coordinator.
Jeff Ulbrich will stay on and continue to coach Atlanta's defense, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning.
Rapoport also reported that Tommy Rees, who was Stefanski's offensive coordinator with the Browns in 2025, is likely to follow the head coach and serve in the same role in Atlanta. Bill Callahan, Cleveland's offensive line coach from 2020-2023 before leaving to coach in Tennessee under his son, Brian, is also likely to return to working on Stefanski's staff, per Rapoport and NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.
The band seems on its way to getting back together to some degree, but it is the retention of an unfamiliar member, Ulbrich, that is perhaps most pivotal. Owner Arthur Blank said in a Jan. 8 news conference that he would recommend Ulbrich to whoever eventually became the team's next head coach. However, he didn't want to "dictate" any coordinator choices.
Nonetheless, Stefanski was on board, which maintains some consistency at the very top for a promising unit.
Although the Falcons finished an uninspiring 19th in points allowed and 15th in yards surrendered, the defense is chock full of talent, with a good mix of young up-and-comers and veterans.
After sacks were incredibly hard to come by the season before Ulbrich's arrival, when the team ranked 31st with 31, Atlanta's pass rush became a fine-tuned machine in 2025. The Falcons finished with 57, second in the NFL. James Pearce Jr., a first-round rookie, led the way with 10.5, while his fellow first-rounder from the '25 draft, Jalon Walker, had 5.5 and Brandon Dorlus logged 8.5. All three will be 25 or younger next season. On the back end, there's cornerback A.J. Terrell, safety Jessie Bates and yet another promising youngster, Xavier Watts.
There were certainly growing pains and inconsistencies in Ulbrich's first season as DC, but the defense was one of the league's best against the pass for much of the first half of the season, and it put on a few prime-time showcases during Monday night wins over the Bills and Rams.
When utilized correctly, Atlanta's talented group has a high ceiling.
Ulbrich showed he knows how to utilize them, and now he's sticking around with Stefanski to build on a foundation already laid.