T.J. Yates joined the Falcons on Jan. 30, 2021, and spent one season as passing game specialist (2021) and two as wide receivers coach (2022-23) before transitioning to quarterbacks coach in 2024. Yates was promoted to passing game coordinator on Feb. 13, 2024.

In 2024, Atlanta's offense ranked sixth in the league with 369.8 yards per game, fifth in passing yards per game (239.3) and 10th in rushing yards per game (130.5) Serving as quarterbacks coach, Yates guided quarterback Kirk Cousins to a franchise record in both completions (42) and passing yards (509) in the Week 5 win over Tampa Bay. Cousins became the 13th player to pass for at least 500 yards and four touchdowns in a single game in NFL history, and the first since Joe Burrow did so in Week 16 of 2021. In the same game, he threw for 253 yards in the first half and 256 yards in the second half plus overtime, making him the only NFL quarterback in the Super Bowl Era to throw for 250-plus yards in the first and second half of a game, per OptaSTATS. Cousins earned two offensive player of the week accolades, both in October wins over Tampa Bay, earning the honor again after completing 23-of-29 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns for a passer rating of 145.9, his highest since 2017.

Michael Penix Jr. completed 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards in his first career start, securing a 34-7 win over the New York Giants. In his second career start in Week 17, he threw his first NFL touchdown pass on fourth down with 1:23 remaining in the fourth quarter, with the following extra point tying the game at 24 and leading to overtime. In Week 18, Penix joined running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London to make the Falcons the only team in NFL history with a 300-yard passer, 175-yard receiver and 150-yard rusher each under the age of 25 in the same game.

As wide receivers coach in 2023, Yates worked with London as he broke Julio Jones' (133) club record for receptions through a player's first two seasons with 141. London's 1,771 receiving yards over his first two years ranked second to Jones (2,157) and the USC product led the Falcons in yards and receptions in each of his first two seasons. London caught 69 passes for a career-high 906 yards with two touchdowns. He was Atlanta's most productive receiver and was targeted on nearly a quarter of the Falcons pass plays.

In 2022, Yates' first season as wide receivers coach, London finished his rookie season with 72 receptions for 866 yards and four touchdowns, surpassing Kyle Pitts (68 in 2021) for the most receptions by a rookie in franchise history.

Yates joined the Falcons coaching staff after spending two seasons (2019-20) working with the Houston Texans. In 2020, he served as the assistant quarterbacks coach. Yates spent the 2019 season as an offensive assistant helping the Texans capture an AFC South title after a 10-6 regular season. Houston defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round and advanced to the Divisional Round for the fourth time in team history.

Yates spent seven seasons in the NFL as a quarterback playing for the Texans (2011-13, 2015, 2017), Falcons (2014), Dolphins (2016), and Buffalo Bills (2017). He was originally selected by the Texans in the fifth round (152nd overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft and went on to start five regular-season games and both postseason games that season. He completed 11-of-20 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in the Wild Card Playoff Round vs. Cincinnati in the franchise's first postseason game and postseason victory.

Yates appeared in 13 games with five starts over three seasons with the Texans before being traded to the Falcons where he spent one season backing up Matt Ryan. Yates returned to Houston in 2015 and appeared in four games with two starts. After spending time with the Dolphins and Bills, he returned for a third stint with the Texans in 2017 and threw a career-high four touchdowns in four games played.

Prior to his NFL career, Yates was a four-year starter at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. He set records for most completions and passing yards in a single game, single season and career. He also became the first quarterback in school history to record more than 3,000 passing yards in a single season and was named Honorable-Mention All-ACC as a senior in 2010.

A Marietta, Ga. native, Yates and his wife, Amy, have two sons, Carter and Bear, and a daughter, M.J.