Home / Sports / Falcons Hire Ex-Ole Miss DC Toney
Falcons Hire Ex-Ole Miss DC Toney
28 Feb
Summary
- Patrick Toney is the new defensive passing game coordinator.
- Toney previously served as defensive coordinator for Ole Miss.
- He also coached defensive backs for the Arizona Cardinals.
The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly named Patrick Toney as their new defensive passing game coordinator. Toney, 35, replaces Mike Rutenberg, who recently accepted a position with the Cleveland Browns. Toney's most recent role was as defensive coordinator for the Ole Miss Rebels, a position he held for seven weeks.
His coaching career spans various levels of college football, including stints as co-defensive coordinator at Florida and defensive coordinator at Louisiana. Toney also has NFL experience, having served as the defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals from 2023 to 2025. In that role, his unit ranked 24th in pass defense, allowing 230.8 yards per game.
Rutenberg, who departed for the Browns on February 20th, spent four seasons with the New York Jets before joining the Falcons. Jeff Ulbrich, the Falcons' defensive coordinator, praised Rutenberg as a "great teacher" of the secondary.
The Falcons' defense concluded the most recent season ranked 14th in expected points added per pass and 13th in passing yards allowed, despite facing challenges with injuries to starting cornerbacks. The secondary also featured promising rookies.
