Mularkey and VanGorder Join the Falcons as Coordinators

The Falcons continue to revamp their coaching staff, as Friday they hired former Bills head coach Mike Mularkey as their offensive coordinator, and Brian VanGorder as their defensive coordinator.  The hirings came two days after the team hired former Jags defensive coordinator Mike Smith as their new head coach.  Mularkey comes to the team from Mami, where the past two seasons he was on the staff, last season as the tight ends coach.

VanGorder was with the Falcons in 2007 as their linebackers coach, and it’s the second time he’ll be working with Smith.  In 2005 he worked under Smith as the linebackers coach with the Jags with Smith being the defensive coordinator.  “I worked with Brian in Jacksonville and have a tremendous amount of respect for him,” Smith said of VanGorder, who will be in his third season in the NFL next campaign. “He brings an aggressive approach that I’m sure will benefit our defense.”