LAS VEGAS -- The Atlanta Falcons hired Ryan Nielsen as defensive coordinator, taking him from their biggest rival after he spent last season as the co-defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints.
The 43-year-old Nielsen spent the last six seasons with the Saints, where he was the defensive line coach all six years while adding the assistant head coach title in 2021 and co-defensive coordinator last season.
Nielsen grew up in Southern California and then went to college at USC as a defensive tackle and then became a volunteer assistant coach.
He spent the first 15 years of his coaching career in college, working with the defensive line at every stop along with being a defensive coordinator at Central Connecticut State in 2008 and 2009 and the co-defensive coordinator at Northern Illinois in 2012.