FLOWERY BRANCH --Falcons special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong will stay on the new staff of head coach-in-waiting Dan Quinn, according to his representative.
Armstrong and Quinn coached together in Miami during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Armstrong was with the Dolphins from 2001-07 before joining the Falcons.
Quinn who had a second interview with the Falcons on Monday, had just Tuesday to wrap up his Falcons' business. On Wednesday, he planned to turn his full attention to getting ready to face quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Armstrong, who was interviewed for the head coaching job, was denied permission by the Falcons to interview with the New York Jets.
Falcons defensive line coach Bryan Cox is set to return to the team on Quinn's new staff, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Cox and Quinn worked together with the New York Jets. Quinn was the Jets defensive line coach in 2007 and 2008 and Cox, who was with the Jets from 2006 to 08, was his assistant defensive line coach for two of his three seasons with the team.
Cox was brought in to help improve the pass rush last season, but things didn't go so well for the Falcons last season as the team finished ranked last in the league in defense.
The Falcons had only 22 sacks, which ranked 30th in the league and the gave up 118.4 yards rushing per game, which was 20th in the league.
This is his second stint as the defensive line coach. He coached the Browns defensive line in 2009 and 2010.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
He was something called the pass rush coach for Mike Nolan and the Dolphins in 2011 and was Tampa Bay’s defensive front seven coach in 2012-13.
He was one of the most feared linebackers in during the 1990s in the NFL.
While with the Browns he coached linemen that accounted for 11.5 of 40 sacks in 2009. The following season, the defensive line had just 3.5 of the Browns 29 sacks. The Browns were 8th in sacks in 2009 and 25th in 2010.
The lines coached by Cox were not stout against the run. In 2009, the Browns gave up 144.6 yards per game, 28th in the league. In 2010, the Browns gave up 129.4 yards per game, which ranked 27th in the league.
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