The Cardinals are hiring former NFL quarterback Matt Schaub as their quarterbacks coach, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports.
New Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur was on staff with Atlanta in 2016 when Schaub was still playing with the Falcons.
Schaub entered the NFL as a third-round pick of the Falcons in 2004, but he didn’t start a game his first three seasons as Michael Vick’s backup. The Falcons traded him to the Texans before the 2007 season.
He played seven seasons for the Texans, one with the Raiders and one with the Ravens before returning to the Falcons.
Schaub made two Pro Bowls, started 93 games, and threw for 25,467 with 136 touchdowns and 91 interceptions.
He served as a football analyst for the Falcons in 2023 before returning to his alma mater, Virginia, as a football analyst.
Now, Schaub will wait to see what the Cardinals do at the position. They are expected to move on from Kyler Murray.
The Falcons haven’t fully committed to Michael Penix as their starting quarterback for the 2026 season at this point, but they gave some hints about how they’ll use Penix or any other quarterback on Wednesday.
Penix has largely played out of the pistol or shotgun since entering the NFL, but offensive coordinator Tommy Rees suggested that would not be the case in the offense that will be installed this offseason. Rees, who came over from Cleveland with head coach Kevin Stefanski, said that his goal as a play-caller is to “keep the defense off balance” and that one way of doing that is by lining up differently.
“You can do it both,” Rees said at a press conference. “I think there’s definite benefits to being under center. That’s been a huge part of the identity of Kevin going back throughout his career. It’s been identity as we’ve worked together and something that we believe in.”
Rees did not comment on the chances of Penix earning the starting role, but he did say the quarterback has “extreme arm talent” and praised his toughness during his first public comments since joining Atlanta’s staff.
The Falcons are hiring Chase Blackburn as their assistant special teams coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports.
Blackburn will work under Craig Aukerman in Atlanta.
The Rams fired Blackburn with two games remaining in the 2025 regular season after a special teams meltdown against the Seahawks.
Blackburn, 42, played 10 seasons in the NFL, winning a pair of Super Bowls with the Giants. His coaching career began in 2016 as an assistant special teams coach with the Panthers. Carolina promoted him to special teams coordinator in 2018, and Matt Rhule retained Blackburn in 2020.
The Panthers fired Blackburn after the 2021 season.
After one season as the Titans’ assistant special teams coach, Blackburn joined the Rams in 2023.
The start of the offseason means the start of thoughts about which players will be moving teams as free agents next month.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich hopes that linebacker Kaden Elliss is not on that list. Elliss has started every game for Atlanta over the last three seasons and he’s posted 380 tackles, 12.5 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for the team.
Ulbrich said at a Wednesday press conference that he “would love Kaden back” while citing his ability to make plays at the line of scrimmage and off the ball.
“The player that he is gave us this really unique flexibility. . . . He gave us some rare multiplicity within the defense and I would love him back,” Ulbrich said. “To replace Kaden would take more than one human being.”
Tight end Kyle Pitts, edge rusher Leonard Floyd, defensive lineman David Onyemata, and edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie are other notable Falcons currently on track for free agency.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is not sure whether he needs to prepare not to have edge rusher James Pearce on his defense for some or all of the 2026 season.
Pearce is facing two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and counts of aggravated stalking, fleeing and eluding police officers, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence to his person stemming from a domestic disturbance with his ex-girlfriend. Ulbrich was asked today whether he is preparing for Pearce not to be on the team.
“It’s an unfortunate situation. Just don’t have all the details of it yet and where this thing will go, so we’ll see,” Ulbrich said. “It’s still so early. We’re not there yet either way.”
Asked his reaction when he heard about Pearce’s arrest, Ulbrich said, “I was obviously disappointed.”
The Falcons traded up in the first round to draft Pearce last year. He finished his rookie season with 10.5 sacks and was third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
