Former New York Jets Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich Credits Lack of Truth-Telling and Failure to Delegate for Failed Stint as Interim Head Coach
During his introductory press conference as the new defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, Jeff Ulbrich reflect on his period with the New York Jets after taking over as head coach once Robert Saleh was fired just five games into the season. Ulbrich attributed his failed stint to the lack of truth-telling from his coaching staff and his failure to delegate.
Ulbrich emphasized the importance of having “truth-tellers” on his staff, stating that he learned that “as an assistant coach you take it as ‘I’m going to eliminate every problem from the head coach’s table so he can just thrive and do his thing.’” He revealed that the lack of honesty was “really detrimental” to the team’s performance.
Ulbrich also took accountability for his failure to delegate, specifically his defensive coordinator responsibilities. He admitted that he “took it all on myself” and didn’t delegate the responsibilities, thinking it would create continuity and stability. However, in hindsight, he realizes that it was the wrong approach and should have given the defensive coordinator responsibilities to someone else.
Ulbrich’s comments come as he returns to the Atlanta Falcons, where he previously served as an assistant coach from 2015-2020. He will be joining Raheem Morris, who served as the team’s interim coach for the final 11 games of 2020.
