This past weekend, the Atlanta Falcons parted ways with defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake
and defensive line coach Jay Rogers, the team announced Saturday afternoon. The moves
signal the beginning of what’s likely another defensive overhaul in Atlanta, as the team’s
defense took a step back this season after a promising 2023 campaign. As Falcons begin their
search for their fourth defensive coordinator in five years, here are five likely candidates that
Atlanta could turn to for next season.
- Steve Wilks
Wilks gained notoriety in the NFL as a member of Ron Rivera’s coaching staff with the
Carolina Panthers. He started as a defensive backs coach in 2012 before working his
way up to becoming the team’s defensive coordinator in 2017. After serving as the
Arizona Cardinals head coach in 2018, Wilks served two separate stints as defensive
coordinator: one with the Cleveland Browns and another at the University of Missouri
before returning to Carolina in 2022 as a defensive passing game coordinator and
ultimately the team’s interim head coach after Matt Ruhle was fired. Wilks led the
Panthers to a 6-6 finish after a 1-4 start and received serious consideration for the
team’s permanent head coaching position. In 2023, Wilks was hired as the defensive
coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, leading one of the league’s top defenses to the
Super Bowl. Last offseason, Wilks interviewed with the Falcons for their vacant head
coaching position and briefly appeared at one of the team’s training camp practices. He
will attract interest from multiple teams looking to fill their defensive coordinator vacancy. - Dennis Allen
Allen’s ties to the Falcons organization go back decades. His father, Grady, played
linebacker for the team from 1968-1972, and it was with the Falcons where Allen got his
first gig as an NFL coach, serving as the team’s defensive quality control coordinator as
a member of Dan Reeves’ staff. After a lengthy stint in New Orleans, Allen was hired by
the Denver Broncos to be their defensive coordinator in 2011 before becoming head
coach of the Oakland Raiders a year later. After accumulating an 8-28 record from
2012-2014 as the Raiders’ head coach, Allen returned to New Orleans in 2015 as a
defensive assistant before being promoted to the defensive coordinator. New Orleans
finished in the top 10 in the league in sacks every year with Allen as their defensive
coordinator from 2017 to 2021. He was promoted to the team’s vacant head coaching
position in 2022 after Sean Peyton stepped down but was fired this past season after
accumulating an 18-25 record from 2022-2024. Allen will be at or near the top of the list
for teams in search of a new defensive coordinator. - Jeff Ulbrich
Not only does Ulbrich have ties to the Falcons organization like Allen, but he and head
coach Raheem Morris served as assistants together on Dan Quinn’s coaching staff in
Atlanta. Ulbrich was hired as Atlanta’s linebacker coach in 2015 before distributing
play-calling duties with Morris in the middle of the 2019 season. After the Falcons fired
Quinn five weeks into 2020 and Morris was named interim head coach, Ulbrich was
hired as the team’s interim defensive coordinator before ultimately taking the same
position with the New York Jets in 2021. After Jets head coach Robert Saleh was fired
amidst the team’s 2-3 start this past season, Ulbrich served as interim head coach. - Robert Saleh
Saleh is a longshot candidate for the Falcons, as a return to San Francisco is a strong
likelihood. Nonetheless, he will be a candidate the Falcons likely pursue. Saleh’s first
NFL job was as a defensive intern with the Houston Texans in 2005. In 2009, he was
promoted to the team’s assistant linebackers coaching position. After a brief stint as a
defensive quality control coach with the Seattle Seahawks, he served as the Jacksonville
Jaguars linebackers coach from 2014 to 2016 before being hired by the San Francisco
49ers as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2017. Through his time in San Francisco,
Saleh made a name for himself amongst NFL coaching circles, as he oversaw a unit that
surrendered just 17.8 points and 281 yards per game in 2019 en route to the team’s
Super Bowl run. In 2021, the New York Jets hired Saleh as their head coach. Saleh
oversaw the transformation of New York’s defense from the league’s worst in 2020 to
one of the best in the league, including a top-five finish in 2022. This past season, he
was fired by the Jets after the team’s week five loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London,
posting a 20-36 record as a head coach. Nonetheless, he is highly respected around the
league by players and coaches alike and has a strong track record when it comes to
leading an NFL defense. As mentioned earlier, while the Falcons will likely pursue Saleh
for their vacant defensive coordinator position, it is still extremely unlikely that he will
become the team’s next defensive coordinator. - Lou Anarumo
Anarumo got his start in the NFL as a defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins in
2012, a position he held for six years before having the same position with the New York
Giants in 2018. In 2019, Anarumo was hired by Bengals head coach Zac Taylor to be the
team’s defensive coordinator. Anarumo’s name gained traction around the league during
the team’s 2021 Super Bowl run, where Cincinnati’s defense produced timely stops and
turnovers during pivotal moments in each game. Since the Bengals lost key defensive
starters, such as Jessie Bates and DJ Reeder, their defense has taken a step back, as the team’s younger defensive starters could not replicate their production. The Bengals fired Anarumo after their season ended last week.