The Atlanta Falcons announced the hiring of Dean Pees as defensive coordinator on Arthur Smith's new staff Thursday, and the addition of the longtime NFL coach is an intriguing one.
Pees has been one of the predominant defensive minds of the last two decades, and he will be tasked with turning around a Falcons unit that has not been able to play at a high level for a complete season since perhaps 2017.
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Now a major part of Smith's initial staff in Atlanta, here are five things fans need to know about Pees.
Dean Pees
Current title: Falcons defensive coordinator
Key NFL roles
A two-time Super Bowl champion, Pees is just one of eight defensive coordinators to coach a Super Bowl with two different teams. He helped the Patriots to a Super Bowl berth in 2007, leading a unit that finished fourth in both total and scoring defense, and second in sacks. Pees helped Baltimore's defense win it all in 2012, finishing 17th in total defense and 12th in scoring defense, but it was an opportunistic defense that improved in the postseason, leading all teams with nine sacks and 10 takeaways. Most recently, Pees worked with Smith in Tennessee from 2018-19 as defensive coordinator. The Titans ranked third in scoring defense in 2018 and 12th in 2019. All told, Pees has 12 years as defensive coordinator under his belt and a history of success on that side of the ball.
10 notable players coached
New England Patriots
- LB Tedy Bruschi
- LB Mike Vrabel
- DE Richard Seymour
- CB Asante Samuel
- DT Vince Wilfork
Baltimore Ravens
- LB Ray Lewis
- LB Terrell Suggs
- S Ed Reed
- DL Haloti Ngata
Tennessee Titans
- DE Jurrell Casey
Overall team and unit success while in prominent role
Tennessee Titans DC (2018-19)
2019 team record: 9-7 (Lost conference championship)
- Yards per game allowed: 359.5 (NFL rank: 21)
- Points per game allowed: 20.7 (12)
- Sacks: 43 (13)
- Takeaways: 23 (10)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 1 (DE Jurrell Casey)
2018 team record: 9-7
- Yards per game allowed: 333.4 (8)
- Points per game allowed: 18.9 (3)
- Sacks: 39 (16)
- Takeaways: 17 (22)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 1 (DE Jurrell Casey)
Baltimore Ravens DC (2012-17)
2017 team record: 9-7
- Yards per game allowed: 325.1 (12)
- Points per game allowed: 18.9 (6)
- Sacks: 41 (11)
- Takeaways: 34 (1)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 3 (LB Terrell Suggs, LB C.J. Mosley, S Eric Weddle)
2016 team record: 8-8
- Yards per game allowed: 322.1 (7)
- Points per game allowed: 20.1 (9)
- Sacks: 31 (24)
- Takeaways: 28 (4)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 2 (LB C.J. Mosley, S Eric Weddle)
2015 team record: 5-11
- Yards per game allowed: 337.4 (8)
- Points per game allowed: 25.1 (24)
- Sacks: 37 (17)
- Takeaways: 14 (30)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 1 (LB Elvis Dumervil)
2014 team record: 10-6 (Lost divisional round)
- Yards per game allowed: 336.9 (8)
- Points per game allowed: 18.9 (6)
- Sacks: 49 (2)
- Takeaways: 22 (22)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 2 (LB C.J. Mosley, LB Elvis Dumervil)
2013 team record: 8-8
- Yards per game allowed: 335.5 (12)
- Points per game allowed: 22 (12)
- Sacks: 40 (16)
- Takeaways: 24 (19)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 2 (LB Terrell Suggs, DT Haloti Ngata)
2012 team record: 10-6 (Won Super Bowl)
- Yards per game allowed: 350.9 (17)
- Points per game allowed: 21.5 (13)
- Sacks: 37 (15)
- Takeaways: 25 (14)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 2 (DT Haloti Ngata, S Ed Reed)
New England Patriots DC (2006-09)
2009 team record: 10-6 (Lost wild card)
- Yards per game allowed: 320.2 (11)
- Points per game allowed: 17.8 (5)
- Sacks: 31 (23)
- Takeaways: 28 (12)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 2 (DT Vince Wilfork, S Brandon Meriweather)
2008 team record: 11-5
- Yards per game allowed: 309 (10)
- Points per game allowed: 19.3 (8)
- Sacks: 31 (14)
- Takeaways: 22 (20)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 0
2007 team record: 16-0 (Lost Super Bowl)
- Yards per game allowed: 288.3 (4)
- Points per game allowed: 17.1 (4)
- Sacks: 47 (2)
- Takeaways: 31 (9)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 3 (DT Vince Wilfork, LB Mike Vrabel, CB Asante Samuel)
2006 team record: 12-4 (Lost conference championship)
- Yards per game allowed: 294.4 (6)
- Points per game allowed: 14.8 (2)
- Sacks: 44 (5)
- Takeaways: 35 (4)
- Defensive Pro Bowlers: 1 (DE Richard Seymour)
Notable coaches worked under
New England Patriots
- Bill Belichick – head coach
- Eric Mangini – defensive coordinator
- Romeo Crennel – defensive coordinator
Baltimore Ravens
- John Harbaugh – head coach
- Greg Mattison – defensive coordinator
- Chuck Pagano – defensive coordinator
Tennessee Titans
- Mike Vrabel – head coach
Telling quote
"Somebody asked me the other day: Are you 3-4 or 4-3? And I said, 'Yeah, that's what we are.' Hopefully you are going to see it all. I want offenses to worry about what we are. They should worry more about our personnel than they should worry about our scheme. And we are going to try and put guys in a lot of different spots. So, you are going to see a lot of different things. I don't know what you are going to call us at the end of the season. I just hope you call us winners." – Dean Pees prior to joining the Titans.
Atlanta Falcons have named Dean Pees defensive coordinator. Pees previously coached at the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots.
Houston Texans free safety Ed Reed, left, hugs Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees before an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
New England Patriots defensive back Herana-Daze Jones (27) listens to instructions from defensive coordinator Dean Pees, left, during the first session of NFL training camp at the Patriots' football facility next to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday morning, July 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Robert E. Klein)
New England Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees watches his squad stretch during football practice at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday afternoon, Jan. 17, 2008. The Patriots will play the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship game at Foxborough Sunday afternoon. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
New England Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees sits by himself at a table during a media availability at the team's hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., Thursday morning, Jan. 31, 2008. The Patriots will play the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz., on Sunday. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
New England Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees, left, talks with linebacker Junior Seau (55) during the NFL game against the Denver Broncos in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Sept, 24, 2006. The Broncos defeated the Patriots 17-7. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees looks on during an NFL Super Bowl XLVII practice on Friday, Feb. 1, 2013, in Metairie, La. The Ravens face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday, Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees, center, speaks with players at an NFL football minicamp practice, Wednesday, June 17, 2015, in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees watches pregame warmups before the 2017 NFL week 9 regular season football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn. The Titans won the game 23-20. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees, center, leads players through an NFL football training camp practice in Owings Mills, Md., Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has a laugh during pregame warmups before the 2015 week 13 regular season NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Dolphins won the game 15-13. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees watches players warm up during an organized team activity at the Titans' NFL football training facility Wednesday, May 30, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees (right) talks to Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs during the NFL AFC Championship football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Kansas City, MO. The Chiefs defeated the Titans 35-24. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees instructs players during an organized team activity at the Titans' NFL football training facility Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
This is a 2018 photo of Dean Pees of the Tennessee Titans NFL football team. This image reflects the Tennessee Titans active roster as of Wednesday, February 21, 2018 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
