Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees retires after 50-year coaching career

Jan. 9—Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees has announced his retirement, the NFL team released Monday.

The announcement follows Pees' 50th season of coaching across all levels of football. The 73-year-old was named the Falcons defensive coordinator in 2021 and has overseen a steady defensive improvement over the past two seasons. Over the final 10 weeks of the season, Atlanta's defense limited opponents to 25-or-fewer points in each game and ranked 10th in scoring over that span. Additionally, Atlanta finished second in passing yards per game, fourth in goal-to-go situations and seventh in red zone defense over the final 10 weeks.

On the season, Pees' defense finished second in second half scoring per game in 2022, limiting opponents to 7.94 points per game in the second half and overtime this season.

In 2021, Pees' defense forced a turnover in 12 consecutive games from Oct. 10 to Jan. 2, 2022, marking the longest streak by Atlanta since 2009. The Falcons also didn't surrender a play of more than 40 yards, becoming the first team to do so in a season in the past 25 years.

Pees came to Atlanta with 16 years of NFL coaching experience, including 12 seasons as a defensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots. Pees was one of eight defensive coordinators in NFL history to coach in a Super Bowl with two different teams, doing so with New England in 2007 and Baltimore in 2012.

In 10 of his first 12 seasons as a defensive coordinator, Pees' defenses ranked in the top 12, including his first season in Tennessee in 2018 when the Titans ranked eighth in total defense and third in scoring defense, allowing only 18.9 points per game — the fewest points allowed by Tennessee since 2008.

Prior to his time in Tennessee, Pees spent eight seasons with the Baltimore Ravens from 2010-17, including six seasons as defensive coordinator (2012-17). Over his six years as defensive coordinator, Pees' defense ranked eighth in yards allowed per game (334.7), ninth in points allowed (21.1 avg.), eighth in rushing yards per game (103.4 avg.), fourth in rushing yards per play (3.9 avg.) and seventh in opponent passer rating (85.4).

Before joining Baltimore's staff, Pees spent six seasons (2004-09) under Bill Belichick on New England's staff, including four years (2006-09) as defensive coordinator. During his tenure as defensive coordinator, the Patriots were the only team in the NFL to finish in the top 10 in scoring defense in four consecutive seasons. The Patriots also allowed fewer than 20 points per game in every season under Pees, the best four-year run of any coordinator in the Belichick era.

Pees spent 25 years coaching at the collegiate level including 21 seasons as either a head coach or defensive coordinator. The Dunkirk, Ohio, native spent six seasons (1998-2003) as the head coach at Kent State University where he coached quarterback Josh Cribbs and future NFL Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison. Pees also served on the coaching staffs of Nick Saban (Michigan State 1995-97; Toledo 1990-93) and Lou Holtz (Notre Dame 1994).

Pees began his coaching career in 1973 at Elmwood High School in Bloomdale, Ohio. He would coach there for six seasons, including four seasons (1975-78) as the program's head coach.