The whistle hadn’t even blown for the Falcons’ final preseason game when the NFL’s rumor mill, that perpetual motion machine of speculation, began to whir with an unexpected absence. On the sideline in Dallas, a crucial piece of the Falcons’ new identity was missing. The broadcast booth was the first to signal the shift; Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich was not with the team.

Having returned to Atlanta earlier in the day to attend to a personal matter, it was a quiet but seismic shift for a unit desperate for his leadership. As ESPN’s Jennifer Hale reported, “Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich not on sidelines for 3rd preseason game. He traveled to Dallas w/ team, but left to address personal matter.” In his stead, the defensive play-calling was delegated, a two-act play with defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg calling the first half and assistant HC/defense Jerry Gray taking over for the second.

The decision, made earlier in the week, was a testament to the organization’s respect for privacy and preparation, reminiscent of when TJ Yates called the offensive shots in Week 2. Yet, on the field, the contrast was stark. Without its conductor, the defense struggled to find its rhythm, yielding 113 yards and two touchdowns on the Cowboys‘ first two drives, now sitting at 17-10 as we speak. (Half Time)

This moment of adversity, however, is merely a single note in the larger symphony Ulbrich is trying to compose in Atlanta. His mission is nothing short of a cultural overhaul for a defense that The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia recently ranked 29th in the league. The assessment was brutal but honest: for this unit to escape the basement it’s occupied for years, they’d need opponents to fumble at historic rates, lead the NFL in takeaways, and for their rookie class to morph into the best in league history.

Why Jeff Ulbrich believes in the climb

The stats from last season back up the skepticism—29th in DVOA and the second-worst pressure rate in the league. Ulbrich’s task is to squeeze every ounce of potential from a young core, leaning on veterans like Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell while fast-tracking rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr.

But here’s where the narrative gets interesting, where history offers a glimmer of hope instead of a obituary. Data from the past five seasons reveals that 44% of bottom-five defenses in EPA/play catapulted themselves into the top 12 the very next year. That’s the window.

That’s the belief. It’s the same belief that fueled Ulbrich’s rise from a gritty NFL linebacker (169 Tackles in 99) to a defensive mastermind. His work with the New York Jets was nothing short of alchemy, transforming a unit that was dead last in points and yards in 2021 into a top-five total defense for three consecutive seasons. He’s a coach who, as Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley noted, doesn’t allow his players to “When you know somebody that intimately, you naturally want to perform at your best for him and you want to do things to make him proud.”

His philosophy is built on adaptive teaching, rejecting old-school film grinds for a modern approach that meets players where they are. He emphasizes intentionality, fundamentals, and a dynamic, multiple scheme designed to confuse offenses.

Most importantly, he prioritizes truth and delegation—lessons he learned hard during his interim head coach stint with the Jets. He’s a family man, grounded and private, which makes his sudden departure all the more understandable. It’s a reminder that behind the playbooks and the pressure, these are people first.

So, why did Ulbrich leave today’s game? A personal matter, one that the Falcons organization is respectfully protecting. It’s a pause button on the field, but the larger story remains unchanged. His brief absence isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a testament to the supportive structure he and Head Coach Raheem Morris are building.