What Jessie Bates III Said About Falcons' Prospective Defensive Coordinator
The Atlanta Falcons' defensive coordinator search includes multiple familiar names to those who follow the organization, including former interim defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and Steve Wilks, who briefly visited the team in training camp last summer.
But the Falcons' first reported interview -- former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo -- has no past ties to the organization.
However, Anarumo isn't a new face to everyone within the organization. He spent four years coordinator Falcons All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III from 2019-22 in Cincinnati.
And Bates, in his final weeks as a Bengal during the 2022 AFC Playoffs, spoke highly of Anarumo.
"He's the mad Italian scientist," Bates said.
Cincinnati fired the 58-year-old Anarumo on Jan. 6 after his defense finished No. 25 in points (25.5) and total yards (348.3) allowed per game this season. The Bengals ranked outside the top 10 in every defensive category apart from takeaways -- they were tied for seventh with 25.
Anarumo, who has seven years of experience as an NFL defensive backs amid stops with the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants, led Cincinnati to the top 10 in scoring defense only once, coming in 2022.
He drew praise for his playoff performances, limiting the likes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen at various points.
And so, while Anarumo's numbers -- 25th or worse in yards allowed and 19th or worse in scoring in five of his seven years calling plays -- may not be inspiring, Bates, who knows Anarumo much better than numbers could suggest, is high on the Atlanta native.
"I think Lou does a really good job of having open conservations within our whole entire group," Bates said. "Lou has done a really good job of creating that family-oriented type of vibe around us. So, it makes it easy to ask those questions and all be on the same page. It's worked out pretty well for us."
Bates noted Anarumo compares defensive meeting rooms to living rooms, and the team had many man-to-man conversations to address gray areas.
The Falcons' search to replace the fired Jimmy Lake is still in its infancy, and Anarumo will likely be one of several interviews. But with Atlanta valuing the input of Bates, it's possible Anarumo emerges as one of the favorites as the process moves forward.