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As one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the NFL, Jeff Ulbrich is trying to instill a sense of grit and tenacity into the Atlanta Falcons. However, with rookie James Pearce Jr. getting into multiple near-fights in the Falcons' training camp, Ulbrich admitted the intensity might have gone a little too far on Sunday.
Ulbrich, who previously worked for the Falcons from 2015 to 2020, said his focus has been on “trying to develop a culture” within the team over the offseason. In terms of the heated altercations, the 48-year-old said he needs his team to “learn how to manage” their aggression.
“We're trying to develop a culture, a style of play for sure, and part of that is the violence with which we play and aggression, the urgency and all that,” Ulbrich said, via ESPN's Marc Raimondi. “Today, at times, it went a little too far, and we've got to learn how to manage that.”
Ulbrich said he felt the Falcons' offense got frustrated with his unit playing “really good defense,” which he believes will carry over into the regular season. He added that he wants his team to “anticipate punches being thrown” at times, though ideally not involving friendly fire.
The Falcons' training camp fights occurred on back-to-back plays, both involving Pearce. The rookie first got into a heated altercation with offensive guard Matt Bergeron before engaging in another nose-to-nose shouting match with tackle Kaleb McGary on the following play. On both occasions, veteran linebacker Leonard Floyd came to his defense, per Raimondi. The situations involved several shoves, but no punches were thrown.
Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich praises James Pearce Jr.'s passion
Pearce's perceived passion might be seen as problematic to some, particularly with the Falcons already being criticized for trading up to select the pass-rusher in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ulbrich acknowledged that Pearce is “prideful,” but complemented his new star defender's dedication to his craft.
“He loves this game,” Ulbrich said, via Raimondi. “He's got deep love for his teammates… I think when you're in that place of just every ounce of your body's trying to prove who you are, sometimes it gets to that place where it can get a little wacky sometimes.”
Pearce notched 17.5 sacks in his final two seasons at Tennessee and 28 total tackles for loss. He was a first-team All-SEC selection in both years, making him a consensus first-round pick in the draft.
