The San Francisco 49ers lost Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator after the Tennessee Titans hired him as their new head coach. After a thorough search for his replacement, it appears the franchise has found it in Raheem Morris.
Morris, who was previously the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, is being hired by the 49ers to be the new DC in San Francisco, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 49-year-old coach is likely to call the defensive plays next season, while head coach Kyle Shanahan runs the offense.
“ESPN sources: The 49ers are set to hire former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as their defensive coordinator. Morris is expected to replace Robert Saleh, who was hired as the Tennessee Titans' head coach.”
Morris is an incredibly experienced football coach. He's coached the defensive side of the ball for most of his 27-year career. Raheem Morris has been a defensive coordinator for Kansas State (2006), the Falcons (2020), and the Los Angeles Rams (2021-2023). He also has head coaching experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009-2011) and previously with the Falcons (2024-2025).
Raheem Morris was considered a finalist for the head coaching job of the Arizona Cardinals before accepting the 49ers' role. However, the Cardinals decided to hire Mike LaFleur, brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, for the job instead.
The 49ers land a coach who has proven to be one of the most effective defensive coordinators in the league. That is seemingly a trend Kyle Shanahan tends to follow, as he did the same thing when he brought Robert Saleh back as his DC after being fired by the New York Jets as their head coach. With San Francisco's coaching staff nearing finalization, the club will soon shift its attention toward the re-signing period, free agency, and the NFL Draft.
