FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Jeff Ulbrich reflected on his brief tenure as the interim head coach of the New York Jets, acknowledging some mistakes as he transitions to his new role as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.
Ulbrich led the Jets to a record of 3 wins and 9 losses during his stint, while still overseeing his responsibilities as the defensive coordinator. He recognized that he failed to delegate certain duties, saying, “the delegation piece of my responsibilities was important and, quite frankly, I failed at that.”
Originally, Ulbrich stepped into the interim coaching position after owner Woody Johnson dismissed coach Robert Saleh when the team had a 2-3 record. He shared his thoughts on delegation, admitting it was a mistake not to assign defensive duties to someone else. “I took on everything myself with the intention of maintaining continuity, but in hindsight, I realize that wasn’t the right approach,” he explained. “I should have shared the defensive responsibilities.”
In discussing his learning experiences, Ulbrich emphasized two key takeaways from his interim role: the importance of delegating, and the necessity of “truth telling” among the coaching staff. He expressed confidence that he would not have to worry about this aspect with Falcons coach Raheem Morris, with whom he has a longstanding working relationship.
Morris and Ulbrich previously collaborated while Ulbrich served as an assistant with the Falcons from 2015 to 2020. He also stepped in as the interim defensive coordinator during the last 11 games of the 2020 season when Morris was the interim head coach. Ulbrich is determined to maintain open and honest communication, especially after noticing shifts in how assistants interacted with him during his time in New York.
“I realized how valuable it is to have truth tellers on your staff,” Ulbrich noted, acknowledging the temptation for assistants to shield the head coach from problems. He added, “It’s crucial for certain things to be communicated to the head coach, as I encountered a significant lack of transparency during my interim position, which was detrimental.”
Ulbrich did not elaborate on where he observed these communication issues within the Jets’ organization. Recently, former Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was appointed as the new head coach for the Jets, and Ulbrich mentioned he had interviewed for the permanent position before meeting with Morris and the Falcons.
The sequence of events unfolded favorably for Ulbrich; he received a call from Morris shortly after the Falcons parted ways with defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and defensive line coach Jay Rodgers on January 11, leading to his hiring just one week later. Ulbrich is inheriting a Falcons defense that has struggled in recent years, contributing to seven consecutive seasons of losing records. Despite a commendable late-season surge in sacks, the team finished with an 8-9 record after allowing a whopping 74 points in two consecutive losses.
Last season, the Falcons placed 23rd in both total defense and points allowed, and they also ranked near the bottom in third-down efficiency. Ulbrich stated he will be responsible for calling defensive plays but emphasized that he intends to collaborate closely with Morris and his fellow assistants to create effective game plans.
“This is going to be a high-level collaboration,” Ulbrich declared. “It would be irresponsible for me not to utilize the knowledge and insights of my colleagues and to engage in important discussions.”
