On a day where a ton of coaches are expected to lose their jobs, one coach has decided to use Black Monday to announce his retirement.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Atlanta falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees is retiring. Pees, who turned 73 last year, has reportedly been mulling the decision to retire for several weeks now.
This is actually the third time that Pees has retired though. He previously retired as defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens in 2018 and as defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans in 2020.
Pees came out of retirement a year after his second one to reunite with Arthur Smith – his former coworker on the Titans – when Smith was hired as Falcons head coach in 2021.
Dean Pees got his first coaching job all the way back in 1979 at Division II Findlay. He worked his way up the college ranks and eventually became head coach at Kent State from 1998 to 2003.
Pees got his first NFL coaching opportunity with the New England Patriots in 2004, coaching the linebackers to a Super Bowl win in his first year. A few years later, he was promoted to defensive coordinator and served in the position until 2009.
Pees won his second Super Bowl as defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens in 2012.
As a defensive coordinator, Pees oversaw eight top 10 scoring defenses and seven top 10 yardage defenses.
Happy retirement, Coach Pees.