After a defensive horror show in 2025, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made the call to fire defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. With that, the search for someone who could bring stability to Dallas’ defense started. They recognized Jeff Ulbrich as a potential fit, but the Atlanta Falcons weren’t ready to let him go.

“The Cowboys were denied by Atlanta to talk with Jeff Ulbrich for the DC job, according to sources,” Todd Archer wrote on X. “He remains under contract with the Falcons despite their search for a head coach.

“A potential interview can be revisited later if they hire a HC, who has a different coordinator in mind.”

While teams often block interview requests when they’re still playing, wanting their staff focused on the next opponent, Atlanta isn’t in that position. They’re done for the year. But they might need Ulbrich on until they have more clarity on who their next head coach will be. From Dallas’ perspective, though, it’s a big blow.

Ulbrich would have represented a clear step up from Eberflus, and that’s not a particularly high bar. He would have brought experience and some continuity to a defense that’s now looking for yet another defensive coordinator in recent years. Cowboys fans have watched Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer, and Eberflus cycle through since 2020.

It was a horrid affair this season. For the first time in franchise history, Dallas allowed more than 30 points per game, finishing at 30.1. They surrendered a team-record 511 points, gave up the most points and passing yards in the league, and ranked just 23rd against the run. This season has been the seventh time since Jerry Jones became the owner and GM that the defense allowed more than 400 points. And every time that took place, a coordinator was fired, or an overhaul was done.

Sure, Eberflus wasn’t the only one to blame. Jones’ fingerprints were all over this season, too. After a very public fallout, All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys finished with 35 sacks, their lowest total since 2020.

That’s why missing out on Ulbrich hurts, especially because the remaining candidates might not bring NFL coordinator experience. Dallas has requested interviews with Daronte Jones, the Vikings‘ defensive pass game coordinator; Jim Leonhard, the Denver Broncos assistant HC and pass game coordinator; and Ephraim Banda, who is the Browns safeties coach.

All of them lack professional football experience as a DC. But reports also suggest that the franchise will cast a wide net to search for its next defensive coordinator. Jerry Jones has also mentioned that the selection of a new DC will be a group decision. Team EVP Stephen Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer will have input in it.

Interestingly, Jones also mentioned that the franchise won’t mandate that the right candidate have previous experience as a head coach or coordinator. That says something, considering Dallas is known for having an affinity towards experienced coaches.

While Ulbrich would have been a good candidate, Falcons owner Arthur Blank isn’t letting him go.

Arthur Blank doesn’t want to let Jeff Ulbrich go

The Atlanta Falcons, despite the offseason talk, have failed dramatically this season. They fired former head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after their final game of the year, after yet another 8-9 season. This was an eighth straight losing season, and Blank clearly reached his breaking point. But Jeff Ulbrich doesn’t seem to be on his way out.

“Jeff Ulbrich, in my view, did a really fine job for us this year,” Arthur Blank said on Thursday. “You can certainly look at the record of sacks, and just the overall performance of defense was definitely better than what it had been in the past.”

The offense was supposed to be the engine of this team, but it was the defense that showed some actual growth. Atlanta finished with 57 sacks, a new franchise record. With that, they surpassed the previous record of 55, set in 1997.

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Their 57 sacks were a case of flipping the script as the team completed 2024 with 31 sacks. Under Ulbrich’s command, the Falcons’ defense was revitalized within only one season. The consistency never wavered much, which is part of why Ulbrich’s name still carries weight inside the building. Blank knows he can’t make staff decisions for the next head coach, but he was not being subtle about his preference, either.

“You can’t dictate to a new head coach who their coaches are going to be, but I certainly would recommend to a new head coach that they consider Jeff based on his track record,” Blank said.

It’s hard to imagine a new coach ignoring that advice. It’s not too hard to see why the Falcons said no to the Cowboys.