Matt LaFleur crushed to miss funeral of close NFL friend’s wife: ‘Out of my control’

Nypost · Aug 12, 2026 · 347 words · By Jenna Lemoncelli

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What to know about Matt LaFleur crushed to miss funeral of close NFL friend’s wife: ‘Out of my control’

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said the death of his friend, Cristina Ulbrich, wife of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, put things in perspective for him.

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said the death of his friend, Cristina Ulbrich, wife of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, put things in perspective for him.

Why it matters

The Falcons announced on July 31 that Cristina died at the age of 48 after battling cancer.

Common ground

During an interview with The Athletic, LaFleur explained that he missed Cristina’s funeral service due to a plane mechanical issue, as well as work — and said that he worries about Jeff.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Matt LaFleur crushed to miss funeral of close NFL friend’s wife: ‘Out of my control’?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that LaFleur was a quarterbacks coach for the Falcons while Jeff was the linebackers coach for Atlanta from 2015-16?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/12/sports/matt-lafleur-crushed-to-miss-funeral-of-clo…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

verified Verified 2

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Claim 1: “LaFleur was a quarterbacks coach for the Falcons while Jeff was the linebackers coach for Atlanta from 2015-16.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results and Wikipedia confirm Matt LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach and Jeff Ulbrich was the linebackers coach for the Falcons from 2015-16.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Matthew Robert LaFleur ( la-FLEW-er; born November 3, 1979) is an American professional football coach and former player who is the head coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_LaFleur

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nathaniel Hackett (born December 19, 1979) is an American professional football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). A former assista…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hackett

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Jalal Saleh (born January 31, 1979) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Saleh

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 2: “team owner Arthur M. Blank”

VERIFIED

Multiple web sources confirm Arthur M. Blank is the owner and chairman of the Atlanta Falcons.

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web search NEUTRAL — While Arthur Blank is the primary owner, he often frames things as part of a family and organizational effort.How the Falcons’ Ownership Connects to Atlanta. Ownership of an NFL team isn’t just about …
https://atlanta.com/articles/falcons/who-are-the-owners-of-t…

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web search NEUTRAL — Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank looks on as NFL Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez is presented with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring during halftime between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Sain…
https://www.atlantafalcons.com/photos/arthur-m-blank-owner-c…

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web search NEUTRAL — Arthur M. Blank Arthur M. Blank is owner & chairman of the Atlanta Falcons.Also in 1998, The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship, the nerve center for entrepreneurial activity at Babson, was n…
https://georgiahistoryfestival.org/trustee-profile-arthur-m-…

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Claim 3: “LaFleur, 46”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources explicitly state that Matt LaFleur is 46 years old.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers have competed in the National Football League (NFL) since 1921, two years after their origina…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Green_Bay_Packers_head…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Sean McVay effect is a term used to describe a National Football League (NFL) trend regarding teams hiring young head coaches that specialize in offensive strategy but would later be expanded to d…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_McVay_effect

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “The Falcons announced on July 31 that Cristina died at the age of 48 after battling cancer.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm the Atlanta Falcons announced the death of Cristina Ulbrich at age 48 after a battle with cancer.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 59th in the National Football League (NFL), their eighth playing their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, their fourth under general manager Terry Fontenot a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Atlanta_Falcons_season

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Atlanta United FC is an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Domestically, the club has won one MLS…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_United_FC

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football Leag…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Atlanta_Falcons_season…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh”

CORROBORATED

Multiple cross-references from Nypost confirm Robert Saleh is the head coach of the Tennessee Titans.

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cross reference SUPPORTS — [new Head Coach Robert] Saleh and the Titans
https://nypost.com/2026/05/15/ticket-sales/tennessee-titans-…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Saleh is in his first year as the Titans head coach.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/14/sports/jets-to-face-ex-coach-r…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Giants-Titans also will mark the return to MetLife Stadium of Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who was fired as Jets head coach during the 2024 season.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/14/sports/brian-dabolls-return-to…

+ 2 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 6: “Cristina Ulbrich, wife of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich”

VERIFIED

Confirmed by multiple news reports and Wikipedia, which identifies Jeff Ulbrich as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and Cristina as his wife.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jeffery Wade Ulbrich (; born February 17, 1977) is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who is the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football Leagu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Ulbrich

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web search NEUTRAL — The Atlanta Falcons announced the passing of Cristina Ulbrich, wife of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. She passed away Sunday after a long illness.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…

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web search NEUTRAL — Cristina Ulbrich, the wife of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, has died.He concluded, “The greatest legacy Cristina leaves behind is the family she loved so completely, and her stre…
https://people.com/wife-of-atlanta-falcons-coach-jeff-ulbric…

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 7: “Jeff, [and his and Cristina’s three children] Samantha, Jax, Jace”

CORROBORATED

Three independent sources confirm the couple had three children named Samantha, Jax, and Jace.

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web search NEUTRAL — The couple have three children, Samantha, Jax and Jace. Jeff played linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers for 10 years. He returned to the Falcons' coaching staff in January 2025 after four seasons m…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2026/07/30…

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web search NEUTRAL — The couple had three children together: Samantha, Jax and Jace. Reporters from The Athletic did not see Ulbrich at the Falcons’ first training camp practices Tuesday and Wednesday in Flowery Branch, G…
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7481917/2026/07/30/cristina…

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web search NEUTRAL — “Ulbrich and his wife, Cristina, have a daughter, Samantha, and two sons, Jax and Jace,” the Falcons’ bio for Jeff Ulbrich says. Ulbrich, a former professional football player, has a long coaching his…
https://www.mensjournal.com/sports/jeff-ulbrich-family-inclu…

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Claim 8: “his younger brother Mike, who is the Arizona Cardinals’ first-year head coach”

CORROBORATED

Confirmed by a cross-reference (Nypost), Wikipedia (2026 Arizona Cardinals season), and multiple web search results identifying Mike LaFleur as the first-year head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Michael Dennis LaFleur (born March 3, 1987) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_LaFleur

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 season will be the Arizona Cardinals' 107th in the National Football League (NFL), their 39th in Arizona, their 21st playing their homes games at State Farm Stadium, their fourth under genera…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Arizona_Cardinals_season

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+ 4 more evidence sources

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Claim 9: “Jeff was not with the team during the Falcons’ first three days of training camp after Cristina’s passing.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Jeff Ulbrich missed the first three days of training camp following Cristina's passing.

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web search NEUTRAL — Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was back in training camp this week following the death of his wife, Cristina, of cancer at the end of July.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/falcons-defensive-coordina…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jeffery Wade Ulbrich is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who is the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He played college footba…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Ulbrich

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web search NEUTRAL — Cristina Ulbrich, wife of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, died Thursday following a battle with cancer, the Falcons announced. She was 48.Ulbrich had missed the team's first three …
https://www.ntd.com/falcons-coordinator-jeff-ulbrich-loses-w…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.