Falcons Add Chase Blackburn to Coaching Staff Amid Broad Overhaul

The Atlanta Falcons continued reshaping their coaching staff Wednesday, hiring Chase Blackburn as assistant special teams coach, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The addition brings a veteran coach and former NFL linebacker with two Super Bowl titles to head coach Kevin Stefanski’s revamped staff.

Blackburn, 42, arrives after a brief and turbulent tenure as the Los Angeles Rams’ special teams coordinator. He was dismissed on Dec. 20, 2025, with two games remaining in the regular season following a narrow overtime loss that proved costly for Los Angeles.

The Falcons’ move reflects a broader effort to inject experience into key areas of the organization. Blackburn will now work under newly appointed special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman as Atlanta seeks to stabilize and strengthen a unit that often plays a decisive role in close games.

For Blackburn, the opportunity in Atlanta represents both a fresh start and a return to a division he knows well, having previously coached in the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers.

1. Departure from Los Angeles

Blackburn’s exit from the Rams followed a dramatic 38–37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16 of the 2025 season. In that contest, Los Angeles surrendered a 58-yard punt return touchdown to wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, a pivotal moment in Seattle’s comeback victory. Compounding the setback, Rams kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 48-yard field goal in the same game. The defeat secured home-field advantage for the Seahawks, who capitalized on the momentum and eventually went on to win Super Bowl LX. The Rams replaced Blackburn with Ben Kotwica on an interim basis and later hired Bubba Ventrone from the Cleveland Browns as their special teams coordinator for the 2026 season. During Blackburn’s tenure, Los Angeles’ special teams units struggled with consistency, and performance issues ultimately culminated in his dismissal. Despite the abrupt end in Los Angeles, Blackburn’s experience coordinating special teams at multiple stops remains a valuable asset as he transitions to a supporting role in Atlanta.

2. Part of a Broader Rebuild in Atlanta

The Falcons’ decision to bring Blackburn aboard is part of a sweeping reorganization under Stefanski and the team’s front office. Atlanta has assembled a staff with a notable collection of former coordinators and seasoned executives. Tanner Engstrand, previously the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator, has been hired as offensive passing-game coordinator, while Alex Van Pelt, most recently the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator, joins as quarterbacks coach. The moves reflect an emphasis on experience and adaptability across the coaching ranks. In the front office, team president Matt Ryan has enlisted former Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn to serve under new GM Ian Cunningham. Together, the leadership group is tasked with guiding a franchise seeking sustained competitiveness in the NFC. Within that context, Blackburn’s role will focus on supporting Aukerman and refining the Falcons’ special teams execution, an area often overlooked but frequently decisive in tight divisional matchups.

3. From Super Bowl Champion to Veteran Coach

Before transitioning to coaching, Blackburn compiled a 10-year NFL playing career after entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Akron in 2005. He appeared in 132 games with 45 starts, recording 372 tackles, 4.5 sacks, four interceptions, 10 pass deflections, six forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. He spent eight seasons with the New York Giants, earning two Super Bowl rings. In Super Bowl XLVI, Blackburn intercepted Tom Brady in the fourth quarter—the only turnover in the Giants’ 21–17 victory over the New England Patriots. He was elected a team captain in 2010, representing the special teams unit. Blackburn later signed with the Carolina Panthers, appearing in 19 games over two seasons before retiring as a player. He soon began his coaching career in Carolina, rising from assistant special teams coach in 2016 to coordinator in 2018, a role he held through 2021. After a one-year stint with the Tennessee Titans as assistant special teams coach in 2022, he joined the Rams in 2023 before his departure late in the 2025 season. Now in Atlanta, Blackburn brings both championship pedigree and hard-earned coaching experience to a Falcons organization intent on building a more complete and disciplined roster.