San Francisco 49ers Hire Former Atlanta Falcons Coach Raheem Morris as Defensive Coordinator
In a move to bolster their defense, the San Francisco 49ers have hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as their new defensive coordinator. According to sources, Morris will replace Robert Saleh, who has departed for the Tennessee Titans.
This marks the second year in a row that the Niners have had to wait out the head coaching carousel before landing their top hire. Last season, they waited for Saleh amidst interest from other teams, including the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders.
Morris brings extensive experience as a defensive coordinator, having held the position in Atlanta in 2020 and with the Los Angeles Rams from 2021-2023. His Rams defense was instrumental in winning Super Bowl LVI.
The Niners are looking for stability at the coordinator position, which has been a revolving door in recent years, with four different coordinators in the past four seasons. Morris's arrival is seen as an attempt to bring some much-needed consistency to the defensive unit.
Morris and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan are close friends from their previous stints together in Tampa Bay (2004-2005), Washington (2012), and Atlanta (2015-2016). This personal connection may have played a role in Morris being hired, as Shanahan has praised his friend's abilities.
The Niners had interviewed several other candidates for the position, including former Browns, Saints, and Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods. However, with Morris becoming available, he emerged as the top choice for the job.
With Morris at the helm, the 49ers are hoping to bring some much-needed stability and success to their defense.
In a move to bolster their defense, the San Francisco 49ers have hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as their new defensive coordinator. According to sources, Morris will replace Robert Saleh, who has departed for the Tennessee Titans.
This marks the second year in a row that the Niners have had to wait out the head coaching carousel before landing their top hire. Last season, they waited for Saleh amidst interest from other teams, including the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders.
Morris brings extensive experience as a defensive coordinator, having held the position in Atlanta in 2020 and with the Los Angeles Rams from 2021-2023. His Rams defense was instrumental in winning Super Bowl LVI.
The Niners are looking for stability at the coordinator position, which has been a revolving door in recent years, with four different coordinators in the past four seasons. Morris's arrival is seen as an attempt to bring some much-needed consistency to the defensive unit.
Morris and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan are close friends from their previous stints together in Tampa Bay (2004-2005), Washington (2012), and Atlanta (2015-2016). This personal connection may have played a role in Morris being hired, as Shanahan has praised his friend's abilities.
The Niners had interviewed several other candidates for the position, including former Browns, Saints, and Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods. However, with Morris becoming available, he emerged as the top choice for the job.
With Morris at the helm, the 49ers are hoping to bring some much-needed stability and success to their defense.