The Atlanta Falcons are amid another coaching search, which feels like an annual occurrence at this point. This offseason, the focus surrounds the defensive coordinator position, with Jimmy Lake being relieved of his duties after just one season with the team.
To this point, the Falcons have completed or have an interview set up with four highly experienced candidates coming from an array of different backgrounds.
Lou Anarumo
Anarumo was the first candidate to be linked to the job. He was recently relieved of his duties after serving as the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator since 2019. The Bengals defense was widely scrutinized this season as the sole reason Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase were left out of the playoffs despite their historic performances, which is fair. The unit finished 25th in scoring defense, allowing over 25 points per game, and total yards.
However, the Bengals defense was a well above average unit for most of Anarumo’s tenure as defensive coordinator. Particularly in the 2021-2022 season, when the Cincinnati defense held Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to just three points in the second half and overtime on their way to the Super Bowl after stifling the No. 1 seeded Tennessee Titans and Derrick Henry in the Divisional Round.
Wink Martindale
The current defensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines, Wink Martindale has been in the coaching ranks since 1986, having spent nearly two decades at the pro level. Most notably, he was the linebackers coach (2012-2017) and then defensive coordinator (2018-2021) for the Ravens, helping Baltimore to a Super Bowl. Martindale is known for his aggressive approach, featuring a lot of man coverage and exotic pressures. It’s an exciting defensive scheme that would be a breath of fresh air in Atlanta, but you must have very good personnel for it to be successful. The Falcons don’t exactly have a wealth of talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Steve Wilks
Another candidate with three decades of coaching experience, Steve Wilks was linked to the Falcons defensive coordinator position before it was even officially open after spending time with the team last summer. Wilks began his NFL coaching career back in 2006 as a defensive backs coach for the Bears, eventually working his way up and becoming the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. However, he was fired after just one season and has bounced around the league since then, most recently serving as the defensive coordinator of the 49ers. The Falcons actually interviewed Steve Wilks for their head coaching vacancy last offseason but passed on him in favor of Raheem Morris.
Jeff Ulbrich
Jeff Ulbrich was also connected to the Falcons defensive coordinator job before it opened because of his ties to Raheem Morris. The two spent a ton of time together under Dan Quinn in Atlanta, and when Quinn was fired, Morris took over as interim head coach, with Ulbrich serving as the defensive coordinator. Following that 2020 season, Ulbrich joined Robert Saleh’s staff in New York as their DC, helping coach one of the best defenses in the league. However, Saleh was the one calling the shots, but the Jets’ talent played a more pivotal role in the unit’s success.
—
Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.