Former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees appears set come out of retirement and join head coach Arthur Smith’s staff with the Atlanta Falcons.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Falcons are expected to hire Pees as their defensive coordinator, where he’ll serve under Smith.
Pees, who has served three different stints as a defensive coordinator during his career, most recently served as the Titans’ for two seasons before retiring following the 2019 campaign. Of course, Smith and Pees were on the same staff under head coach Mike Vrabel in Nashville.
In 2020, Pees hinted that he had an interest in returning to coaching, and apparently that interest was very real.
As for their offensive coordinator position, Chicago Bears passing game coordinator Dave Ragone is expected to get the job there, so for now it appears Tennessee won’t have any of their active coaches poached.
The #Falcons staff is taking shape. Under coach Arthur Smith, Atlanta is expected to hire veteran defensive coordinator Dean Pees out of retirement, sources say, and they are working toward hiring Dave Ragone of the #Bears as their new offensive coordinator.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2021
This will no doubt be a gut-punch for Titans fans. Pees was loved and fans clamored for his return with the team’s defense struggling last year, and especially after he hinted he might want to come out of retirement.
While all of this is going on, the Titans are still in search of a new offensive and defensive coordinator.
