Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris knew prospective defensive coordinator candidate Jeff Ulbrich long before the two sides held a virtual interview Jan. 15.
Morris and Ulbrich coached together in Atlanta from 2015-20, capped by an 11-game stint with Morris as interim head coach and Ulbrich as interim defensive coordinator. They worked together on an offseason project, setting length thresholds for linebackers. When Ulbrich became the New York Jets' interim head coach in early October, he called Morris on his way to the facility.
And so, when the Falcons fired defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake on Jan. 11 and Ulbrich appeared out of a job in New York, a return to Atlanta seemed quite plausible. It didn't take long to turn the self-proclaimed homecoming into a reality.
Shortly after Lake's exit, Ulbrich said he was called by Morris, who asked if he was interested in the job. Ulbrich said he was, and they set up an interview.
But the two conducted a professional meeting, Ulbrich said, and it wasn't as straightforward as two friends catching up on past times.
"It's funny because Raheem and I have a very close relationship, but I love the fact we turned this interview into a very official interview where it wasn't just ‘Rah’ and myself just chopping it up like buddies," Ulbrich said. "I thought they were very thorough, asked amazing questions.
"It was a great opportunity for myself to really get to know, and for them to get to know me, everybody else in the organization that I didn't have previous experience with."
Ulbrich added it was an "amazing" interview process, and he expressed gratitude and excitement to have landed the job Jan. 18.
Atlanta interviewed six other candidates before hiring Ulbrich, three of whom -- Lou Anarumo (Indianapolis Colts), Steve Wilks (Jets) and Matt Eberflus (Dallas Cowboys) -- landed other defensive coordinator vacancies shortly thereafter.
When Ulbrich agreed to take the Falcons' job, he was still, technically, a candidate for the Jets' head coaching job. He interviewed with New York two days before Atlanta, and the timing "worked out perfect," he said.
But Ulbrich, who went 3-9 as interim head coach, evidently sensed he wasn't a realistic candidate to return to the helm in New York -- and due to a variety of factors, from Morris and owner Arthur Blank to the value in returning to Atlanta, Ulbrich said it was a "no-brainer" to become the Falcons' next defensive coordinator.
"This really, over the six years I was here, became home to us," Ulbrich said. "My daughter, she graduated from here. Both boys went to high school here and spent a lot of time here. All my children and my wife, they've really embraced Atlanta as home.
"An opportunity to come back is just -- my wife is excited, my children are excited, I'm excited."
Morris drew external criticism for the hire of Ulbrich, in large part due to the "buddy-buddy" nature of it. But familiarity isn't inherently bad, and Ulbrich believes it can be a significant help to elevating an oft-lowly Falcons defense.
"Another thing that's beautiful about this opportunity for myself is the equity in the relationship I have with Raheem is such that we can have drag out," Ulbrich said. "Like, if you were an outsider looking in, you'd be like, 'Damn, they hate each other.'
"But we're capable of having those really, really hard conversations, but understanding that we're trying to create something special, and when we walk out that door, we walk out that door together."
The Falcons bet on growth from a familiar face when they hired Morris in January 2024. Morris is making a similar bet on Ulbrich.
Now, the two friends need to help Atlanta hit the jackpot -- or else, not hiring from outside the organization's inner circle may prove costly.
