Tanner Engstrand, Alex Van Pelt Reportedly Agree to Falcons Contracts on Kevin Stefanski's Staff

The Atlanta Falcons hired Tanner Engstrand as the team's offensive passing game coordinator under new head coach Kevin Stefanski on Saturday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Engstrand had "multiple options" to choose from and was a "popular name in recent days" before joining the Falcons, per Rapoport.

The Falcons also hired Alex Van Pelt as their quarterbacks coach:

The 43-year-old spent the 2025 season as the New York Jets' offensive coordinator before he was fired on Tuesday.

While the Jets owned the NFL's worst passing offense in 2025, it's worth noting that they started three different quarterbacks and struggled with consistency from under center all year.

Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook combined to complete 60.3 percent of their throws for 2,378 yards and 14 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions.

Engstrand fared much better in his prior stint as an offensive passing game coordinator, a position that he held with the Detroit Lions from 2022-24.

The Lions were consistently among the NFL's top passing squads during Engstrand's tenure. They ranked No. 8 in passing offense during the 2022 season before ranking No. 2 in both 2023 and 2024.

Detroit also owned the league's best scoring offense in 2024, averaging 33.2 points on a weekly basis.

The Falcons enter the 2026 season with some uncertainty regarding their aerial attack, as quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in Nov. 2025.

Atlanta boasts star receiver Drake London and could bring back tight end Kyle Pitts in free agency after he racked up a team-high 928 receiving yards in 2025.

Engstrand will now work alongside Stefanski and new Falcons offensive coordinator Tommy Rees with his new team.