Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's wife dies after cancer battle

The Atlanta Falcons are mourning the loss of Cristina Ulbrich, the wife of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who died after a battle with cancer.

In a statement Thursday, the team called Cristina Ulbrich a "devoted wife, mother and friend" whose "strength, grace and resilience touched all who knew her." The Falcons said she was a constant source of love and support for her family and the organization and asked that the Ulbrich family's privacy be respected as they grieve.

"It's a difficult time for the Ulbrich family. It's a difficult time for the Falcons family. It's a difficult time for everybody who knew and loved Cristina," Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Like any family, we'll support Jeff and the kids, and we'll put our arms around them."

Team owner Arthur M. Blank also remembered Cristina Ulbrich for her unwavering love for her family and the courage she showed throughout her illness.

"It was always evident how deeply Cristina loved her family and how fiercely she supported them," Blank said in a statement. "She faced every challenge with extraordinary courage, strength and grace, inspiring so many through the way she lived and the way she fought."

Blank said Cristina Ulbrich's "greatest legacy" is the family she loved and that "her strength and spirit will continue to shine through them."

Jeff Ulbrich has not been at Falcons training camp this season. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.