In October 2020, the Atlanta Falcons faced a difficult period. The team was winless at 0-5 and preparing to play the Minnesota Vikings on the road. That week, head coach Dan Quinn was dismissed, leading to Raheem Morris being named interim head coach and Jeff Ulbrich taking over as interim defensive coordinator.
The situation was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person meetings were not possible, so Morris addressed the team through Zoom. Practice schedules were disrupted when positive COVID-19 tests among the defensive line forced cancellations and quarantines. The team arranged for a separate charter flight to ensure that their defensive linemen could travel safely to Minnesota.
Minnesota’s offense posed a significant challenge, with Dalvin Cook leading one of the league’s top rushing attacks at that time.
Despite these obstacles, Morris and Ulbrich found themselves relying on each other more than ever before. “I think Rah knew who I was and I knew who Rah was, but if there was any doubt, that gets absolutely eliminated at that moment,” Ulbrich said.
Reflecting on those events, Morris noted, “Not a lot,” he quipped. “It was definitely a blur, but I definitely remember the win.”
The Falcons secured their first victory of the season against the Vikings with a score of 40-23. For both coaches, this game marked an important point in their working relationship. Morris recalled leaning heavily on Ulbrich during that challenging week: “I don’t think it was Brich and I. I think it was more me leaning on Brich,” he said.
Ulbrich emphasized how meaningful that win was for both Morris and the team as a whole. He added: “Although nobody wants to go through adversity like that, there’s tremendous power in it.”
Five years later, in September 2025, Morris and Ulbrich returned to Minnesota as official head coach and defensive coordinator—a full-circle moment after what they experienced together in 2020.
