Falcons’ new coaching staff continuing to take shape

With the hiring of special-teams coordinator Craig Aukerman on Monday, the hierarchy of the new coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff is in place.

Aukerman joins new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and holdover defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich in the top positions on the staff.

In addition to hiring Aukerman, Robert Prince was named the wide receivers coach and Bob Quinn the senior adviser to Stefanski.

Defensive line coach Nate Ollie, tight end coach Kevin Koger and secondary coach Justin Hood were retained from former coach Raheem Morris’ staff.

Aukerman, 49, was with the Dolphins as their special-teams coordinator last season. He will replace Marquice Williams, who was the Falcons’ special-teams coordinator for the past five seasons. His units didn’t adjust to the new kickoff return or cover rules very well over the past two seasons.

Aukerman was special-teams coordinator with the Titans from 2018-23. He also spent time with the Broncos (2010), Jaguars (2011-12), Titans (2013-15), Chargers (2016).

Aukerman, a native of McComb, Ohio, played defensive back and wide receiver at Findlay University. His special-teams units were strong for the Dolphins last season.

Miami tied for the NFL lead with two blocked field-goal attempts and ranked seventh in punt return average (13.3 yards per return) and 11th in kick return average (26.4 yards per return). Malik Washington, who played at Parkview High and Virginia, ranked ninth in the league in kick return average (26.8 yards per return) and returned one punt for a touchdown.

Aukerman will be charged with turning around the Falcons’ special-teams play after a rather poor 2025 season.

The special teams were not up to par and played a role in five losses with missed kicks, long kickoff returns allowed, issues with determining when to kick a touchback and two blocked field-goal attempts.

Despite a blocked field-goal attempt, the Falcons were in a tight battle with the Seahawks with the score tied 6-6 at halftime before Rashid Shaheed took the second-half kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown. The Falcons ended up getting routed, 37-9.

There were red flags heading into last offseason, but the Falcons failed to bring in any real competition for kicker Younghoe Koo. After missing seven kicks in 2024, he started missing kicks again, and the Falcons let him go.

Parker Romo stabilized things for seven games, until he missed an extra-point attempt in New England that would have tied the score late in the fourth quarter. Instead, they lost 24-23.

Kicker Zane Gonzalez was signed, and he stabilized things down the stretch.

Aukerman was on the Titans’ coaching staff that reached the postseason four times, winning two AFC South division titles, advancing to the AFC championship in 2019 and earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2021.

Here’s a look at the other coaches:

Prince: He’s no stranger to longtime Falcons fans. He was on coach Jim Mora’s staff from 2004-06 and was Michael Vick’s assistant quarterbacks coach in 2006.

Prince will be charged with coaching wide receiver Drake London and putting back together a unit that imploded last season after Ike Hilliard was fired three games into the season.

Prince coached CeeDee Lamb to three Pro Bowls while with Dallas (2022-24) and Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, of Sandy Creek High and Georgia Tech, to the Pro Bowl in 2014-15, the two seasons they had together.

Quinn: He was with the Browns over the past five seasons after stops with the Lions and Patriots in various personnel and front-office capacities.

Ollie: He was successful in his first season with the Falcons, helping the defensive line contribute to the franchise-record 57 sacks. He worked wonders with defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus and helped Ruke Orhorhoro to make strides.

Koger: He helped Kyle Pitts play faster and get a career high in catches (88) and touchdowns (five) last season.