The New York Jets will have a different look on the sidelines after firing coach Robert Saleh in a surprising move Tuesday. The team tabbed its defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, to serve as the interim coach.
New York’s season is off to a 2-3 start, but one bright spot this year has been the team’s defense, which has allowed the second-fewest yards and fifth-fewest points per game in the NFL this season. The unit’s performance offers some explanation as to why the Jets chose Ulbrich.
The 47-year-old has been with the Jets since 2021 and has developed a reputation as one of the top coaches in the league.
Here’s what else to know about him.
Who is Jeff Ulbrich?
Ulbrich is a California native who spent 10 seasons in the NFL, all with the San Francisco 49ers, as a player before transitioning into coaching.
He began his coaching career as an assistant special teams coach with the Seattle Seahawks from 2010 to 2011.
Ulbrich spent the following three seasons coaching linebackers and special teams at UCLA before returning to the NFL. He joined the Atlanta Falcons as the linebackers coach in 2015 and remained with the team through 2020, when the Falcons fired then-head coach Dan Quinn and promoted Raheem Morris to interim coach. Ulbrich served as interim defensive coordinator under Morris that year.
He was hired as the Jets’ defensive coordinator in 2021.
What’s he done in New York?
Under Ulbrich, the Jets have been one of the NFL’s best defenses over the last few seasons. After finishing last in the NFL in yards and points per game in his first season in New York, the Jets have fielded a top-five unit in total defense.
Since 2022, New York has allowed the fewest yards per game (295.8) of any team in the NFL, according to TruMedia.
Ulbrich also coached several Jets defenders to individual honors, including cornerback Sauce Gardner, who became the first cornerback since the merger to be named First-Team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons. Linebacker Quincy Williams also earned First-Team All-Pro honors last year, linebacker Jermaine Johnson earned a Pro Bowl selection and 2019 first-round draft selection Quinnen Williams earned Pro Bowl honors in 2022 and 2023.
Even before his stint with the Jets, Ulbrich had a reputation for identifying and developing talent. In Atlanta, he was instrumental in helping names like De’Vondre Campbell, Deion Jones and Foyesade Oluokun become standout players in the NFL.
Why is Ulbrich so respected?
Ulbrich developed a reputation as a leader during his days as a player — and that’s followed him through his coaching career.
Former teammates like Takeo Spikes and Patrick Willis have spoken highly of Ulbrich.
Spikes previously told The Athletic that when he signed with the 49ers in 2008, Ulbrich took care of him despite Spikes being signed to take Ulbrich’s starting job. Spikes said Ulbrich helped teach him the scheme.
He added that some days, Ulbrich could sense that he needed to get away and would pull him aside and tell him: “Spikes, after work we’re going to grab us a BLL (Bud Light Lime) and we ain’t gonna talk about football.”
Current Jets players have shared similar feelings about Ulbrich as a coach.
“You can expect consistency out of Brick,” Jets safety Tony Adams told The Athletic. “You can expect a great leader and a great teacher. He does a great job of teaching us, leading us, holding people accountable.
“He doesn’t leave anybody out. I think sometimes you get coaches who don’t really care. Brick cares. He cares for us as players and you can tell as a player, the way we go out there and play for him … it’s not by accident.”
(Photo: Nick Cammett / Diamond Images via Getty Images)
