Kevin Stefanski is bringing one of his former offensive coordinators to Atlanta. Alex Van Pelt, who worked under Stefanski in Cleveland from 2020 to 2023, will be joining the Falcons as their quarterbacks coach, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
Van Pelt, 55, served as a senior offensive assistant for the Rams in 2025. He was the Browns’ offensive coordinator from 2020 to 2023 with the added title of quarterbacks coach in his final year. Cleveland’s offense generally ranked in the middle of the league during his tenure, though that was a significant improvement over the previous decade. Before that, he occupied a variety of roles with the Bills, Packers, Buccaneers, and Bengals, typically as the quarterbacks coach, though he was the Bills’ OC in 2009 and the Packers’ running backs coach in 2012 and 2013. For the next four seasons, Van Pelt worked closely with Aaron Rodgers, who earned three Pro Bowls and was named MVP in 2014.
After leaving Cleveland, Van Pelt served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator in 2024 before he was hired by the Rams in 2025. New England finished as a bottom-three offense under Van Pelt, who struggled to get Drake Maye going in his rookie season. The Rams’ offense in 2025 was far more successful, but Van Pelt’s impact is harder to quantify given the presence of Sean McVay and Nate Scheelhaase in Los Angeles.
In Atlanta, Van Pelt will be tasked with continuing the development of Michael Penix Jr. He may also be asked to get a new quarterback up to speed quickly, as Penix’s availability for the start of the 2026 season is no guarantee.