Who is Jeff Ulbrich, the new Jets head coach? Career, teams he played for, family...

The New York Jets are heading into a new chapter, with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich taking over as interim head coach following Robert Saleh’s sudden firing. While Ulbrich has never been a head coach before, his deep involvement with the Jets’ defense and leadership within the locker room makes him a familiar and trusted figure.

Nonetheless, fans are left wondering what this means for the team’s future, given Ulbrich’s inexperience in the top job.

Ulbrich has played an important role with the Jets, calling defensive plays and being a strong voice in the locker room. His roots with the team run deep, and many fans appreciate his commitment. Yet, the reality remains: this is his first head coaching role, and there’s no track record to gauge how he will handle the transition.

Saleh’s firing has surprised some, not because of his performance but because of the timing. It’s unusual for an NFL coaching change in early October, especially with the team just a game out of first place.

Who is Jeff Ulbrich?

The 47-year-old Ulbrich was born in San Jose, California. He attended Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, where he excelled as a dual athlete, competing in football and wrestling. He was a First-team All-League and team MVP in football and also won a league title in the 192-pound weight category in wrestling.

Later in college, Ulbrich redshirted at San Jose State before transferring to Gavilan College. He was a two-year starter at Hawaii, earning All-WAC first-team selection and team co-captain as a senior. He also led the conference with a school-record 169 tackles and ranked third in the league with eight sacks. As a junior, he played in seven games, starting three at strong side inside linebacker, and finished with 41 tackles, including a nine-yard sack.

The San Francisco 49ers drafted Ulbrich in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft. He played for the 49ers from 2000 to 2009, starting as a linebacker and later taking on a backup role. He retired in 2009 due to repeated concussions and a plethora of injuries that marked his career. Ulbrich immediately expressed interest in becoming a college football coach.

In 2010, the Seattle Seahawks hired Ulbrich as a special teams assistant. He later joined UCLA as the linebackers and special teams coach in 2012 and was promoted to Assistant Head Coach in 2012. The Atlanta Falcons then hired Ulbrich as a linebackers coach in 2015. In 2020, he was promoted to assistant head coach and linebackers coach. Later that year, he was named defensive coordinator under interim head coach Raheem Morris.

In 2021, Ulbrich was hired by the New York Jets as their defensive coordinator. In 2024, he was named interim head coach following the firing of head coach Robert Saleh after a 2–3 start to the 2024 season.

In his personal life, he’s married to his wife Christina, with whom he shares three children: daughter Samantha and sons Jax and Jace.