Falcons rally around Jeff Ulbrich after losing wife: ‘So strong dealing with it’
FLOWERY BRANCH — During the Falcons’ defensive meetings, everybody stands up and talks about their heart, mind and fist. It’s the three-pronged identity defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has built the unit around, and a key tether to the tight-knit relationships existing within the room.
The Falcons’ defense went through the first four training camp practices without its heart’s biggest vessel and its mind fixated on getting that vessel back flowing as well as it can.
Ulbrich was away from the team after his wife, Cristina, passed away July 26 following a long battle with cancer. She was 48.
Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell said he and several teammates have been texting with Ulbrich, who’s in his second season leading the team’s defense.
“Just really lost for words,” Terrell said. “I don’t really know what to say for that situation. It’s hard to grieve and talk about things like that with him.”
Ulbrich only occasionally brought up his wife’s cancer battle with the team last season, Terrell said. When he would, he wasn’t emotional — because Cristina told him to be with his players.
So, Ulbrich soldiered through. He was with the team “every day,” Terrell said. He wore the burden so well his players often forgot the situation existed, which Terrell views as an indication of Ulbrich’s immense strength.
“His commitment,” Terrell said, his voice a little crackly, his eyes a little puffy, “is different. He was so strong dealing with it. He was doing that at a high level, laughing, doing what he’s doing, coaching.
“Every time he brought it up, it was always like you just want to give him a hug, because you got to be strong. And he shows that all the time, being strong mentally.”
Falcons outside linebacker Bralen Trice pondered what would happen if he put himself in Ulbrich’s shoes. He has no clue what he’d do.
“It’s tough, man,” Trice said Friday. “My heart goes out to Ulbrich. We’ve all got our arms around him, supporting him. Just take the time he needs to get right, and love him up as a unit and as a team, because that guy right there is a huge part of what we’ve got going on right now.
“Without him, we got nothing.”
Putting football aside and focusing on character, Trice said Ulbrich is one of the best coaches he’s ever had.
“He runs our defense with heart, man, and that’s huge,” Trice said. “He brings the heart, mind, fist, and he lives by that, and he drives us with that. So, love him.”
The Falcons haven’t appointed an interim defensive play-caller in Ulbrich’s place. The team’s defense, while practicing with a heavy heart, largely won the first week of training camp practice, be it generating pressure, limiting explosive runs or deflecting passes.
Trice described the Falcons’ current defensive coaching structure as a “whole unit” operation, something coach Kevin Stefanski touched on Saturday.
“We have a really good plan,” Stefanski said. “Brich and I have spoken about all these type of things and we have a really good plan of organization. And the truth is everybody’s pulling a little bit more with Brich out. So, we’re asking everybody to do a little bit more.”
There’s no timeline for Ulbrich’s return to the organization as he and his three children, Samantha, Jax and Jace, grieve Cristina’s loss.
“We miss him,” Terrell said. “We’re praying for him as a team. Hopefully we get to see him next week, put our arms around him.”