Dean

Pees

Pees, 73, spent more than 50 years as a coach at both the college and pro level, first breaking into the NFL in 2004 as the Patriots linebacker coach. He would be hired to the same position by the Ravens and 2010 and later promoted to defensive coordinator for the 2012 season. From there, Pees would go on to serve as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens (2012-2017), the Titans (2018-2019), and the Falcons (2021-2022). During his career, Pees won two Super Bowls, with his last coming in the 2012 season when he helped lead the Ravens to a win over the 49ers in what would be Ray Lewis’ final year in the league.

A Saints player attempting to field a punt accidentally ran into the 73-year-old Falcons coordinator. He had to have his neck stabilized before being loaded onto a stretcher. The Falcons have now lost their defensive play-caller an hour before the game. The good news is, Pees has been cleared and is expected to accompany the Falcons back to Atlanta.

Pees coached alongside new Falcons coach Arthur Smith in Tennessee but retired after last season citing health issues. Now 71, he’s apparently feeling better. It was mostly about talent and injuries, but the Titans’ defense fell off in Pees’ absence this year. Save for 2020, Pees has coordinated an NFL defense every season since 2012, working in Baltimore before Tennessee. He served four years as Bill Belichick’s defensive boss before that. He’s had good players, but Pees has almost always had good defenses. Atlanta’s personnel will be an issue, though the Falcons’ defense often punched above its weight down the stretch in 2020.

Pees is 70 years of age and battled some health issues during the 2018 season. He served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Patriots, Ravens and Titans from 2006-2019, leading a top-12 defense in points allowed per game in all but one year. Pees deserves plenty of credit for holding the Patriots (13 points) and Ravens (12) in check during his final playoff push.

69-year-old Pees battled some health issues this year, but he’ll be back for at least another season. The Titans had the third best scoring defense and ranked top-10 in total yards under Pees in 2018.

He has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation. It appears head coach Mike Vrabel has taken over the defensive play-calling.

“We still have plenty of work to do, but I trust Dean,” coach John Harbaugh said. The pass defense was a disaster over the first half of the season, giving up 284 yards a game and forcing just three interceptions the first eight weeks. The defense turned around after the bye, however, riding a strong run defense and an improving pass defense to a top-eight finish in total defense. Pees has been with the Ravens since 2012.

The 68-year-old coordinator joined the Ravens in 2010 as a linebackers coach after coordinating the Patriots’ defense for four seasons. He was promoted to coordinator in 2012. Baltimore finished in the top 12 of total defense and scoring defense five of his six years in charge, and they finished top five in takeaways each of the last two years. This is a loss for the Ravens, but they do have a viable replacement on staff in LBs coach Don Martindale.

Pees retired as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator right after the season but was convinced to join the Titans by new coach Mike Vrabel. Pees led the Ravens defense to top 12 finishes in total defense and scoring defense in five of his six years in charge. He’s a really good get for Vrabel and should continue to use the 3-4 base look that ex-DC Dick LeBeau featured. The likely draw for Pees in Tennessee was the permission to hire his son, a high school coach, to his staff. Now that Vrabel has his DC, the Titans more importantly need an OC.

Despite retiring at the end of this season, Pees has a good relationship with Coach Mike Vrabel. Pees would be a good hire for the Titans after finishing in the top 12 of total defense five of his six years with the Ravens.