The Atlanta Falcons appointed Gary Emanuel as defensive line coach, Steve Hoffman as senior assistant, Justin Peelle as tight ends coach and Matt Pees as defensive assistant.
Emanuel brings with him 38 seasons of coaching experience, including 10 seasons in the NFL with him to Atlanta, having most recently served as a defensive line coach for the 2018-19 New York Giants. During his time in New York, the defensive side of the Giants, Markus Golden, registered 10 sacks in 2019, becoming the first New York Giant to register double-digit sacks in a season since 2014, while new striker BJ Hill established the franchise record for the most sacks by a newcomer with 5.5 in 2018.
Emanuel spent six seasons (2012-17) in Indianapolis as the Colts defensive line coach. During their time in Indianapolis, the Colts won three division titles and participated in an AFC Championship Game. Before joining the Colts, Emanuel trained the defensive line and was defensive co-coordinator at Purdue in 2010. He was instrumental in the development of the defensive striker of the first Latin American team Ryan Kerrigan, who led the country in the tackles for defeat, led the conference in bags and won the Big Ten Defensive Player and Lineman of the Year, in addition to becoming America’s first unanimous recognition by a defender of Boilermaker in school history in 2010.
Hoffman has 28 years of experience as an NFL coach, having entered the NFL in 1989 as a Dallas Cowboys kick coach. He would spend 16 seasons in Dallas, where his experts set 15 franchise records. He contributed to three world championships with the Cowboys winning Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII and XXX. In addition to his role on special teams, Hoffman also served as an offensive / defensive quality control technician from 1989-95, an offensive quality control technician from 1996-99 and a defensive quality control technician from 2000-04.
Hoffman most recently served as coordinator of special teams for the Tennessee Titans in 2017, when Titans bettor Brett Kern led the NFL in net punting average (44.6) and gross punting average (49.7) and won your first place in the Pro Bowl. He also served as coordinator of special teams for the Oakland Raiders (2012) and Kansas City Chiefs (2009-11), and spent the 2006 season as assistant coach of special teams for the Falcons.
Peelle joins the Falcons having served as a coach for the Philadelphia Eagles for the past six seasons. Peelle played a big role in the development of Zach Ertz, the Pro Bowl’s three-time tight end, who recorded 525 receptions in his first seven seasons, the largest number of receptions in the first seven seasons of a tight end in NFL history. Ertz, who scored the game’s victory touchdown at the Super Bowl LII, also holds the record for single-season receptions (116 in 2018) for a tight end in league history.
Under Peelle’s tutelage, Philadelphia’s tight ends recorded the highest number of receptions (417) and reception yards (4,388) of any NFL team in the past three seasons.
Originally selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft, Peelle played in the NFL for 10 seasons with the Chargers (2002-05), Miami Dolphins (2006-07), Atlanta Falcons (2008-10) and San Francisco 49ers (2011) and recorded 123 receptions for 1,003 yards and 12 touchdowns in 151 career games.
The 2021 season will mark Pees’ third year in the NFL, having spent two seasons (2017-18) as a defensive assistant and quality control coach for the Tennessee Titans, where he worked with the defensive line.
Pees has seven years of experience as a football coach in high school and most recently served as a football coach at Findlay High School in Ohio in 2020.