NFL team reveals tragic death of coach’s wife after cancer battle

Cristina Ulbrich, the wife of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, has pᴀssed away after battling cancer, the team announced Thursday.

Her specific form of the disease has not been revealed, but Cristina appears to have been suffering since at least 2025, if not earlier. 

‘A few of us caught up with [Jeff] pregame last season at Levi’s [Stadium in Santa Clara] and he shared with us how strong, courageous & loving Cristina had been,’ Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman reported on X.

A mother to the couple’s three children – Samantha, Jax and Jace – Cristina was at Jeff’s side for years as he established himself as a solid NFL linebacker and, later, an ᴀssistant coach. In fact, when he first tried to break into coaching, Cristina vowed not to plan anything that could potentially conflict with his next job. 

‘We’re not taking any vacations or going anywhere until he has something down,’ Cristina, then 32, told the Morgan Hill Times in 2010. ‘We know Jeff’s coaching can take us anywhere, just like with playing. I’m on board and so are the kids.’ 

Jeff’s transition from the field to the sideline also gave Cristina some peace of mind. 

‘It’s knowing we don’t have to worry about his health anymore,’ Cristina said of her husband, who had battled concussions during his playing career.  

Cristina and Jeff met in 1997 when he was on a recruiting visit to the University of Hawaii

When Jeff was promoted to interim head coach of the New York Jets in 2024, the smiling Cristina was pictured offering her husband encouragement as he prepared for his first game

The couple’s patience paid off in 2024, when Jeff was promoted to interim head coach of the New York Jets following Robert Saleh’s firing. A week later, a proud Cristina was pictured kissing her husband on the sideline as he prepared for his first game in charge of the team. 

The following year, he agreed to become the Falcons defensive coordinator and the couple was on the move for the fifth time since his Jeff’s playing career ended in 2009. 

And it was that devotion by Cristina towards Jeff that stuck out to Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who issued his own statement on Thursday.  

‘It was always evident how deeply Cristina loved her family and how fiercely she supported them,’ Blank said in his statement. 

It’s unclear when they actually tied the knot, but the couple first got together nearly three decades ago. As The Athletic reported in 2023, Jeff met Cristina while on a recruiting trip to the University of Hawaii in 1997. Since then, they’ve maintained a private life away from the football field. 

And according to Jeff’s former 49ers teammate, Takeo Spikes, she and Jeff were extremely close, particularly after the birth of their children. 

‘When he got around his family it was like nothing else mattered,’ Spikes told The Athletic in 2023. ‘He didn’t care what type of day he had at the office. It was like, “I just want to make sure I’m around for them.”‘

Jeff Ulbrich kisses his wife Cristina before his Jets played the Bills in October of 2024

News of Cristina’s death was first revealed by the Falcons on Thursday. 

‘The Atlanta Falcons are heartbroken by the pᴀssing of Cristina Ulbrich, beloved wife of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, after her courageous battle with cancer,’ the statement began.

‘Cristina was a devoted wife, mother, and friend whose strength, grace, and resilience touched all who knew her. She was a constant source of love and support to Jeff, their family, and the broader Falcons community.

‘On behalf of the entire organization, we extend our deepest condolences to Jeff, their children, and all who loved Cristina. During this incredibly difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Ulbrich family.’

The statement concluded with a request for privacy.

‘We ask that their privacy be respected as they grieve this profound loss, and we stand with them in support and remembrance of Cristina’s life.’

The Jets followed with a statement of their own: ‘Cristina will be remembered for her warmth, strength and unwavering devotion to her family. We extend our deepest condolences and love to Jeff, their children and all who knew and loved her.