Falcons hoping to retain key piece of defensive staff

The Atlanta Falcons have already announced that Jeff Ulbrich will be retained as defensive coordinator. With that, it’s expected that most of the defensive staff will return in 2026, but there is one name worth keeping a close eye on — defensive line coach Nate Ollie.

When the Falcons hired Ollie prior to this season, the move was met with overwhelming praise. He did wonders adding juice to the pass rush at his previous stops in Indianapolis and Houston, and that success carried over to Atlanta. After finishing as the second-worst team in the league at generating pressure in 2024, the Falcons recorded a franchise-record 57 sacks this season, the second-most in the NFL.

But beyond the raw numbers, Ollie worked wonders with the Falcons’ young talent. James Pearce Jr. was among the best pass rushers in the league down the stretch, finishing with 10.5 sacks and becoming the first rookie to reach double digit sacks since Micah Parsons. Jalon Walker also enjoyed a strong rookie campaign, while other young players like Brandon Dorlus, Zach Harrison, and Ruke Orhorhoro all posted career-best seasons under Ollie’s guidance.

He’s someone the Falcons would love to retain in 2026, but understandably, there could be opportunities for promotion as coaching staffs continue to fill out across the league.