Cristina Ulbrich, the wife of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, has tragically died of cancer, per a team announcement.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank also released a statement.
“Cristina will always be an important part of our Falcons family. My heart is with Jeff, Samantha, Jax, Jace and the entire Ulbrich family during this unimaginable time.
“It was always evident how deeply Cristina loved her family and how fiercely she supported them. She faced every challenge with extraordinary courage, strength and grace, inspiring so many through the way she lived and the way she fought.
My family and I, along with the entire Falcons family, send our love and prayers for strength to everyone mourning her loss.
“The greatest legacy Cristina leaves behind is the family she loved so completely, and her strength and spirit will continue to shine through them.”
Per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, the Ulbrichs met while Jeff, then a linebacker at Gavilan College, was on a recruiting trip at the University of Hawaii in 1997. Jeff Ulbrich transferred there and starred for the team, amassing 169 tackles in 1999.
Jeff Ulbrich then played 10 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2000–2009) as a linebacker before turning to coaching. He previously served as a Falcons assistant from 2015-2020 under then head-coach Dan Quinn before moving onto be the New York Jets’ defensive coordinator.
The Jets released a statement on Cristina’s passing:
Ulbrich, who served as the Jets’ interim head coach in the final 12 games of the 2024 season, is now entering his second campaign as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator.
