FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have completed an interview with Derrick Ansley for their open defensive coordinator position, the organization announced Thursday.
Ansley marks the fourth completed interview by the Falcons since their search for the next defensive coordinator began earlier this week. Atlanta previously interviewed Don "Wink" Martindale (Tuesday), Jeff Ulbrich (Wednesday) and Lou Anarumo (Thursday).
Learn more about the Falcons' next candidate below.
Date of interview: Thursday, Jan. 16
Last stop: Currently the passing game coordinator (defense) for the Green Bay Packers
Resume highlights:
- Los Angeles Chargers, 2021-23: Ansley was the defensive coordinator for the Chargers for the 2023 season. It was his first time holding that title in the professional league. He was the secondary coach in 2021 and 2022.
- University of Tennessee, 2019-20: Ansley worked as the defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach for the Volunteers before making the jump back into the professional ranks.
- Oakland Raiders, 2018: He spent one season as the Raiders' defensive backs coach.
Why he's a candidate: A former defensive back at Troy from 2001-04 who finished his career with the second-most interceptions in school history, Ansley has made a career out of coaching the position group he was born out of. This is not dissimilar to the upbringings of current Falcons defensive minds Raheem Morris and Jerry Gray, who also played in the secondary before coaching the position professionally.
Some of Ansley's most notable work, though, came at the NCAA level when he was the defensive coordinator at Tennessee for two seasons.
In 2019, the Volunteers had a top-25 defense in total defense (334.5 yards per game), and were ranked No. 16 in passing defense (194 yards per game) with Ansley at the helm.
Asked to describe himself and his coaching style after being promoted to defensive coordinator for the Chargers in 2023, Ansley said he was an aggressive, but calm individual.
"I'm whatever our players need me to be," he said in May 2023. "Some guys need the rah-rah. Some guys need you to be calm. I'm adjustable. Whatever the players need from me, that's I'll do."
Strikes against: Despite holding the title of defensive coordinator with the Chargers in 2023, Ansley was not the play-caller for the unit. Brandon Staley was. So, despite the Chargers finishing in the top-10 in the NFL in sacks (48) that seasons — which was also the most by the team since 2006 — the description of the role does beg the question of how much Ansley played a part in any Chargers success that year. This also happened to be Staley's final year as head coach of the team, seeing as the organization finished that season 5-12 and at the bottom of the AFC West.
Outside of this lone season in which Staley held the cards, Ansley has not been a defensive coordinator in the league. He had success within his two years holding the title on the Tennessee staff, but is still very green to play-calling at the professional level.
Considering the Falcons just let go a first-time-in-the-pros play-caller in Jimmy Lake, are they up for going back to someone with similar — if not less — experience than that of his predecessor? It's a fair question to ask.
