The Atlanta Falcons have now filled all three coordinator positions, bringing aboard ex-Dolphins, Titans, and Chargers special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman for the same position on Kevin Stefanski’s
staff.
Aukerman is not a choice that will cause Falcons fans to party, but that would probably be true of any special teams coordinator. What he does bring to the table is a raft of experience—Aukerman has been coaching special teams off and on in the pros and college since 2003 and has been either an assistant or head special teams coordinator in the NFL since 2012—and a pretty solid history in those roles. Last year with the Dolphins, Riley Patterson was unexpectedly excellent on field goals, the return game was solid, and the team cut down on missed tackles and penalties versus 2024 while also blocking a pair of field goal attempts.
What the team will hope Aukerman ports over from Tennessee and Miami is competence. While I believe Marquice Williams is a good special teams coach, his units had fallen into disrepair the past two seasons in Atlanta, with things going particularly off the rails in 2025 as coverage and returns were both putrid throughout the season. It was obvious Williams was not going to be retained even before the Falcons fired Raheem Morris, given how bad things had gotten, and the same modest but real lift Aukerman’s hire brought the Dolphins is what they’ll be looking for (at minimum) in 2026. That will likely involve a significant retooling of personnel, especially in coverage and in the return game, though Zane Gonzalez and Bradley Pinions should still be back.
The team also announced a few critical hires and re-hires. Nate Ollie is back as the defensive line coach, which is crucial after he coached up a line that helped the Falcons break their single-season sack record, and Robert Prince is on board as the new receivers coach. Ollie’s retention should help the Falcons retain their attacking front, which was such a boon for a defense that turned around to a far greater extent than we might have expected, while Prince’s lengthy experience as a receivers coach working with greats like Calvin Johnson, CeeDee Lamb, and Jaylen Waddle should bring stability and knowledge to a receivers room that badly needs the help.
