Raheem Morris finds new home with the 49ers

Even after being fired by the Falcons, the expectation was that Raheem Morris would land on his feet if he wanted to coach in 2026. He received some looks for the many head coaching vacancies around the league, but ultimately he’ll reunite with Kyle Shanahan as defensive coordinator in San Francisco, replacing Robert Saleh.

Morris and Shanahan go way back. They worked together in Tampa Bay from 2004–2005, reunited about a decade later in Washington, and were both on the Falcons’ 2016 Super Bowl staff. When Morris was hired as Atlanta’s head coach, Shanahan was among those who publicly vouched for his abilities.

So when Saleh left San Francisco for a head coaching opportunity in Tennessee, this quickly became an obvious landing spot — assuming Morris didn’t land a head coaching job elsewhere.

Morris inherits a talented 49ers defense that finished middle-of-the-pack in 2025, ranking 20th in yards allowed per game but 13th in points allowed. Many of the Falcons’ struggles last season could fairly be pinned on Morris. Situationally, Atlanta too often fell short, and the little details that win games at this level weren’t always emphasized.

That said, Atlanta’s defensive improvement also had Morris’ fingerprints on it. When he became more involved with the defense late in his first season as head coach, the difference was noticeable compared to what the unit showed under Jimmy Lake. The eventual hiring of Jeff Ulbrich then led to an even further leap forward, particularly as a pass-rushing unit, with the Falcons finishing second in the league and setting a franchise record with 57 sacks.

This is a fantastic fit for Morris, who now gets a chance to chase another Super Bowl ring as a defensive coordinator alongside a longtime friend in Kyle Shanahan.