Meet the 4 Rookie NFL Defensive Coordinators Whose Jobs Are on the Line This Season

Some NFL defenses have seen better days — heck, many need a full reset — and that means fresh minds calling the shots this season. Swapping out defensive play-callers isn’t always a dramatic shakeup; sometimes it’s just the natural churn of new coaching regimes settling in or coaches chasing greener pastures. But with so many teams wrestling with patchy defensive performances, a few newly minted coordinators are about to inherit some seriously hefty challenges. From Atlanta’s shaky front seven to Chicago’s potential-packed roster and Detroit’s health battles, 2025 promises to be a proving ground for these defensive masterminds. Let’s dive into the key figures stepping up to the plate and what their arrival could mean for their squads’ fortunes this year. LEARN MORE

With the Shedeur Sanders prank call surrounding his son in the rearview mirror, Ulbrich can get back to focusing on a monumental task ahead of him: trying to fix the Atlanta Falcons’ porous defense. The Falcons have consistently been one of the worst defensive teams over the past decade and have tried to fix that by drafting both linebacker Jalon Walker and defensive end James Pearce Jr. in the first round of last month’s NFL Draft. Ulbrich is the second defensive coordinator in two years for head coach Raheem Morris, who should be trying to do his best to turn it around considering the Falcons’ front office has been stuck in the mud during this era of the franchise. The Falcons are a bit light in the front seven, so they’ll need the expertise of Ulbrich and Morris to put them in advantageous spots.

Jeff Ulbrich, Atlanta Falcons

Staying in the NFC North, the Lions have had a defensive coordinator change as well after losing Aaron Glenn to the Jets’ head coaching vacancy. For a team that very much still has Super Bowl aspirations this season, it’ll be imperative that the Lions hit the ground running and get back to playing strong defense, which eluded them at the end of last season as the injuries piled up. Unlike Ulbrich and Allen, this will be Sheppard’s first time as a defensive coordinator and he’ll have the chance to imprint his name upon the Lions’ defense. He got some reinforcements with free agent signing D.J. Reed, first-round pick Tyleik Williams and the return of star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson from injury — the cupboard isn’t bare, but now it’s time to see what Sheppard can do.

Dennis Allen, Chicago Bears

AdvertisementThe Bears have a lineup of talented defensive players, but they didn’t always play like that last season. Especially after they had their hearts broken by the Commanders on the infamous Hail Mary that was a turning point in both of their seasons. With, hopefully, a bit more support from the offensive side of the ball, the Bears’ defense won’t be in as many perilous situations as they were last season. Allen did a great job coordinating the Saints’ defense even as the talent deteriorated over the years, so the Bears’ defense should be in for a big boost with Allen calling plays. They’ll probably need it as Caleb Williams and the offense continues to gel in their first year with Ben Johnson as the offensive play-caller.

Kelvin Sheppard, Detroit Lions

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Anthony Campanile, Jacksonville Jaguars

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