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Cristina Ulbrich, the wife of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, died Sunday after a battle with cancer, the team announced.
“The Atlanta Falcons are heartbroken by the passing of Cristina Ulbrich, beloved wife of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, after her courageous battle with cancer,” the Falcons wrote in a statement.
“Cristina was a devoted wife, mother and friend whose strength, grace and resilience touched all who knew her. She was a constant source of love and support to Jeff, their family and the broader Falcons community.
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Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich of the New York Jets and his wife, Cristina Ulbrich, embrace before a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium Oct. 14, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Getty Images)
“On behalf of the entire organization, we extend our deepest condolences to Jeff, their children and all who loved Cristina. During this incredibly difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Ulbrich family. We ask that their privacy be respected as they grieve this profound loss, and we stand with them in support and remembrance of Cristina’s life.”
Ulbrich, 49, had not been spotted at Falcons training camp during practices Tuesday and Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
Jeff and Cristina share three children together — Samantha, Jax and Jace.
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The couple met during the former linebacker’s recruiting visit to Hawaii in 1997, according to The Athletic.
Ulbrich became the Falcons’ defensive coordinator last season after serving in the same role with the New York Jets since 2021.
It’s his second stint with the Falcons, the team he joined in 2015 to become a linebackers coach. He was a part of the infamous loss in the 2017 Super Bowl, when the New England Patriots stormed back from a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Falcons in overtime to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich of the New York Jets and his wife, Cristina Ulbrich, embrace before a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Oct. 14, 2024. (Getty Images)
In 2020, Ulbrich was promoted to assistant head coach and linebackers coach, and in October of that year, he was named defensive coordinator under interim head coach Raheem Morris.
Ulbrich eventually joined Robert Saleh in New York in 2021, and, in 2024, he was named interim head coach after the Jets fired Saleh. Ulbrich finished 3-9 as interim head coach that year before rejoining Morris, who was named full-time head coach, last season to serve as his defensive coordinator.
Morris was fired after one season, but the Falcons kept Ulbrich in his role while hiring Kevin Stefanski as their next head coach for the 2026 season.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich of the New York Jets and his wife, Cristina Ulbrich, embrace before a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Oct. 14, 2024. (Getty Images)
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Before coaching, Ulbrich spent 10 years in the NFL as a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers from 2000-09.
He got his first coaching job with the Seattle Seahawks after retirement and also spent time as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator with the UCLA Bruins.
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