ATLANTA, Ga – A hugely successful former Buford High School football coach has been hired by the Atlanta Falcons.
Multiple sources have confirmed to 11Alive’s Alec McQuade that the Falcons have hired Jess Simpson as a defensive assistant/defensive line coach.
Simpson’s record at Buford High was 164-12 since he took over as head coach in 2005. According to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, Simpson coached Buford to 10 of the school’s 11 state championships.
Simpson resigned after the 2016 season after Rome defeated Buford to win the school’s first title game in any sport.
Simpson had agreed to become a defensive assistant at Georgia State University, but has reportedly agreed to join the Falcons staff without ever coaching a Panthers football game.
The Falcons continue to make major adjustments to their coaching staff, after firing defensive coordinator Richard Smith and linebackers coach Bryan Cox two days after their Super Bowl LI loss.
