The Atlanta Falcons have announced the hiring of Tosh Lupoi to be their defensive line/run game coordinator (DEs). In addition to the move, the team has announced Jess Simpson's role with the team will now be defensive line (DTs).
"We are happy to have Tosh join our coaching staff," Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. "We look forward to what he brings to our organization."
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Lupoi spent the 2019 season as the Cleveland Browns' defensive line coach. Cleveland ranked 20th in the NFL with 38 sacks last season, 10 more than the Falcons registered. The Browns allowed 144.7 rushing yards per game and 5 rushing yards per play in 2019, finishing the year ranked 30th in each category.
Prior to joining the Browns, Lupoi spent five seasons as a member of the defensive staff at Alabama working with Nick Saban. After spending time as an analyst, Lupoi began to work with the team's outside linebackers and was named co-defensive coordinator prior to the 2016 season. While in that role, Lupoi helped coordinate Alabama defenses that finished as the best scoring defense in both the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He was named defensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide in 2018. That season, Alabama had the 12th-best scoring defense and registered the fifth-most sacks in the country.
