49ers coordinator Raheem Morris outlines 'whatever it takes' mindset for defense

Raheem Morris is entering his first season as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, taking over for Robert Saleh, who departed to become head coach of the Tennessee Titans.

Morris brings extensive coaching experience to head coach Kyle Shanahan's staff, having worked in multiple roles on both sides of the ball throughout his NFL career. He now inherits a 49ers defense that has shown flashes but has struggled to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks—an issue that had a ripple effect on the unit.

On Thursday, reporters spoke with Morris for the first time since his hiring as the 49ers prepare for their rookie minicamp.

He was asked what fans should expect from the 2026 version of the 49ers defense—whether it will lean more toward his previous systems or continue the established identity built by his predecessor.

"We definitely want to do what's best for our players," Morris said. "You're always going to do what they do really well. [LB] Fred Warner is Fred Warner for a reason. I'm going to try to utilize those guys to the best of their ability to do some of their different things, and be able to have some additions, to be able to go out there and ultimately to go try to win a championship.

"Whatever's required, whatever's needed to go do those things, those are the expectations, and those are the things that we want to get done. So, to say it's going to be more resemblant to me or more resemblant to them—it's going to be what's best for us in order to go win football games.

"And I think that's the best way to look at it, ultimately, whatever it takes to go win football games, whatever it takes to go out there and get it done for us."

Morris passed on other opportunities for the 49ers

Morris had multiple opportunities this offseason but ultimately chose San Francisco largely because of his familiarity with the organization's leadership—Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.

"Obviously, those are guys that I've been really close to just throughout the whole process of everything," Morris said. "Having the ability to coach Lynch when I was a very young football coach, being around that culture and what it meant, and then having a chance to be a coach with Kyle in multiple spots, and then have an opportunity to come out here.

"And then, you get out here, and you see what everything is like, what they've done together, how they built this thing to be able to run the draft, be able to run the process, be able to run the standard of play, being around these guys."

Morris also said his respect for the 49ers grew over time, both from prior relationships and from competing against them. That led to a desire to be a part of the building process in Santa Clara.

"When you get a chance to go be a part of teams like that, which I've been fortunate enough to do in the past, it certainly made it an easy choice for me," Morris said. "With all due respect to the people that I talked to, because everybody that I talked to that actually called me, I have so much respect for those people, but Kyle was a great opportunity to come work here at the 49ers."

Desire to win another Super Bowl

Morris has been part of two Super Bowl-winning teams, serving as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 and as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.

He was with Shanahan during the 2016 season, serving as the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach on the Atlanta Falcons team that came close to winning a Super Bowl.

That experience has given Morris a clear understanding of both the highs and lows of reaching the NFL's biggest stage, and he is eager to help the 49ers capture another championship.

"Nothing would be more satisfying for me, personally, than to be able to come here and help this organization, this head coach, this general manager, this owner, this team, the players that they have," Morris said. "When you talk about Fred Warner and [DE] Nick Bosa and guys that absolutely you want to go win that thing for, you get chills just fully thinking about it.

"To have the ability to go do that and help people do that, that's what you coach for. That's the ultimate goal."