Jan. 19, 2026, 11:22 a.m. ET
You can cross off one name for the Washington Commanders in their search for a new defensive coordinator. The Atlanta Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski as head coach over the weekend and, as expected, he has retained Jeff Ulbrich as his defensive coordinator.
Ulbrich had reportedly been a top contender for Washington’s DC job after the Commanders fired Joe Whitt Jr. two weeks ago. Ulbrich was a linebacker with the 49ers from 2000-09, where he played for Washington head coach Dan Quinn, then a young defensive line coach for San Francisco.
Quinn was a defensive line coach/assistant head coach for the Seahawks in 2010 when he helped Ulbrich land a job with Seattle to begin his coaching career. Ulbrich worked for the Seahawks for two seasons before spending the next three years at UCLA. When Quinn was hired as the Falcons’ head coach in 2015, he hired Ulbrich. Ulbrich spent six seasons on Atlanta’s staff before landing his first defensive coordinator job with the New York Jets in 2021.
When the Dallas Cowboys attempted to interview Ulbrich for their defensive coordinator position, Atlanta blocked it, with owner Arthur Blank wanting to keep Ulbrich and allow the next head coach to determine his fate. Not long after hiring Stefanski, Ulbrich was officially retained.
Where will Washington turn next? Raheem Morris remains an interesting name, but he could go into TV in 2026 if he doesn’t land a head coaching job. The Commanders have officially interviewed multiple candidates, and with Ulbrich off the board, their search could come into focus this week.
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The most interesting name is Brian Flores, but if he doesn’t land a head coaching position, a Minnesota return is likely. The Commanders did interview Flores. Seahawks passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Karl Scott is another intriguing name to watch.