Ulbrich was named Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator on Jan. 18, 2025.

Ulbrich comes to Atlanta after spending four seasons (2021-24) with the New York Jets, where he most recently served as interim head coach during the end of the 2024 season after three years as the defensive coordinator.

Calling the Jets defense in 2022-24, Ulbrich's unit was the only defense in the league to rank in the top five of total defense in each of the last three seasons, finishing fourth in 2022 before finishing third in both 2023 and 2024. In the last three seasons combined, Ulbrich's defense ranked No. 1 in total defense (305.7 yards per game), No. 1 in passing defense (183.5 yards per game), No. 5 in tackles for loss (269), No. 8 in sacks (136) and No. 9 in scoring defense (21.1 points per game).

Under Ulbrich's tutelage, cornerback Sauce Gardner earned first-team All-Pro accolades and became the first cornerback since the merger to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons (2022-23), while also being selected as a Pro Bowl starter in each of his first two seasons. Additionally, Ulbrich aided linebacker Quincy Williams to earn first-team All Pro and Team MVP honors in 2023, linebacker Jermaine Johnson earn Pro Bowl honors in 2023, and former first-round draft selection Quinnen Williams earn first-team All-Pro in 2022 and notch back-to-back Pro Bowl honors (2022-23).

In 2022, Ulbrich's defense was the only unit in the NFL to not allow a 300-yard passer, and allowed an average of just 18.59 points per game, the fourth best in the league. Additionally, the unit only allowed six players to hit 100 rushing or receiving yards in a game, tied for the best in the NFL.

Prior to the Jets, Ulbrich spent six seasons with the Falcons, working with Head Coach Raheem Morris. He began as the team's linebackers coach for his first five seasons (2015-19), adding the title of assistant head coach in 2020. Ulbrich became the team's interim defensive coordinator after Morris' promotion to interim head coach in 2020 for the final 11 games of the season. In those final 11 games, the Falcons ranked in the top third of the league in opponents third-down percentage and opposing red zone touchdown percentage, while also allowing the sixth fewest rushing yards per game.

In his six seasons coaching linebackers in Atlanta, Ulbrich had a linebacker register 90-plus tackles in a season nine times, including by four different players: Deion Jones (four times), De'Vondre Campbell (three), Foyesade Oluokun (one) and Paul Worrilow (one).

Prior to Atlanta, Ulbrich spent three seasons (2012-14) at UCLA. After two seasons (2012-13) as the Bruins' linebackers and special teams coach, adding the title of assistant head coach in Spring 2012, Ulbrich was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2014. In his time with the Bruins, he helped Anthony Barr convert from running back to linebacker before finishing second in the country with 13.5 sacks (2012), Myles Jack earn Pac-12 Defensive and Offensive Freshman of the Year honors (2013), and Eric Kendricks earn both the Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy after leading the nation in solo tackles per game (2014). All three players were selected in the first or second round of the NFL Draft and both Barr and Kendrick have been selected as Pro Bowlers in the NFL.

Ulbrich began his coaching career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2010, serving as the team's special teams assistant for two seasons (2010-11). During the 2010 season, kicker Olindo Mare matched the sixth-longest field goal streak with 30 straight, while the kickoff return units ranked third in the NFL and the kickoff cover group ranked fifth in the league.

The San Jose, Calif., native was originally selected by San Francisco in the third round (86th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft out of Hawaii. In 10 seasons with the 49ers, Ulbrich played in 120 regular-season games (75 starts) at linebacker and logged 501 tackles (366 solo), 32 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and 13 passes defensed. He also started all three playoff games he appeared in and totaled 18 tackles (12 solo), one pass defense and one fumble recovery.

As a two-year starter at Hawaii, Ulbrich was named All-WAC first team as a senior, leading the conference with a school single-season record 169 tackles, along with serving as the team's co-captain. Prior to Hawaii, he spent a year at Gavilan College (Calif.), where he earned first-team All-Conference and team MVP honors after redshirting at San Jose State as a freshman.

Ulbrich and his wife, Cristina, have a daughter, Samantha, and two sons, Jax and Jace.