Cristina Ulbrich, wife of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, died on Sunday after battling cancer. The Falcons expressed their sorrow in a statement, noting her courage and impact on those around her. She was known for her strength and unwavering support for her family and the Falcons community.

The Falcons’ statement extended condolences to Jeff and his children, Samantha, Jax, and Jace, urging privacy during their time of mourning. Jeff Ulbrich, who is 49 years old, was absent from Falcons training camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, as reported by multiple sources.

Jeff and Cristina met back in 1997 during his recruiting visit to Hawaii. Ulbrich took on the role of defensive coordinator for the Falcons last season after previously serving with the New York Jets since 2021. This marks his second tenure with the Falcons, having first joined them in 2015 as a linebackers coach. Notably, he was part of the team during their 2017 Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots.

Jeff Ulbrich’s coaching journey includes being promoted in 2020 to assistant head coach and linebackers coach. Later that year, he became the defensive coordinator under interim head coach Raheem Morris. In 2021, he moved to join Robert Saleh with the New York Jets. In 2024, Ulbrich was named interim head coach following Saleh’s departure, finishing the season with a 3-9 record before returning to assist Morris.

While Morris’s tenure with the Falcons ended after one season, Ulbrich remained as defensive coordinator. When Kevin Stefanski was hired as head coach for the 2026 season, Ulbrich retained his position.

Before coaching, Ulbrich had a ten-year playing career in the NFL as a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers from 2000 to 2009. Post-retirement, he started coaching with the Seattle Seahawks and later worked as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at UCLA.