In recent days, Jeff Ulbrich has been at the center of attention due to the incident involving his son and the recent NFL Draft. The new defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons is seen as a key figure for the upcoming season, and his arrival didn’t come cheap following his stint with the Jets. So, how much is he really earning per year in his new role?
According to Front Office Sports, the former interim coach of the New York Jets reached an agreement with Raheem Morris’ team worth an estimated $1.6 million per year.
With this deal, he reportedly became the ninth-highest-paid defensive coordinator in the league among the 32 teams.
How much do defensive coordinators make?
Last season, Jeff Ulbrich served as the interim head coach for the Jets. However, starting this year, he has taken over as the new defensive coordinator for the Falcons, becoming the ninth highest-paid coach at that position across the league. So how does the rest of the ranking shape up?
According to a report from Front Office Sports, based on publications by NBC Sports, Pro Football Network, and ESPN UK earlier this year, the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the NFL is Vic Fangio, now a Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, earning an estimated $4.5 million per year.
Coming in second is Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who earns $4 million annually. Rounding out the top three is Steve Spagnuolo of the Kansas City Chiefs, with a salary estimated at around $3.5 million per year.
Is Jeff Ulbrich a candidate for head coach jobs?
The whispers around Jeff Ulbrich have become louder in NFL circles: yes, he is a candidate for head coaching roles, though not yet a frontrunner. After Robert Saleh was fired by the New York Jets early in the 2024 season, Ulbrich—then the team’s defensive coordinator—was elevated to interim head coach.
He went 3-9 in the final 12 games under that interim tag. Importantly, the Jets gave him a formal interview for the permanent head coaching position. That is a strong signal that the organization saw enough in his leadership to at least explore him as more than stopgap.
Still, challenges remain in his path. His record as interim HC is underwhelming, and in the volatile NFL coaching market, it’s hard to overcome losses—even when much of the roster and staff were inherited. Also, while internal interviews suggest respect and possibility, they don’t always end in selection.
Jeff Ulbrich’s career earnings as a player
When Jeff Ulbrich entered the NFL as a third-round pick for the San Francisco 49ers in 2000, the league was still years away from the massive salary boom driven by new TV deals and record-breaking contracts. Over the course of his 10-year career, he carved out a steady income that reflected his value as a hard-nosed defender and respected veteran presence.
By the mid-2000s, he had established himself as a fixture in San Francisco’s defense, and his paychecks rose accordingly. In 2006, for instance, he earned a base salary of around $1.325 million.
Two years later, in 2008, that number jumped to about $1.525 million, showing the incremental raises that come with seniority and reliable performance. In 2009, however, his career earnings took a small dip when he agreed to a pay cut—dropping from a scheduled $2.23 million base down to $950,000 to help the team’s salary-cap situation.