Raheem Morris Interviewed for 49ers DC Job, Eyes Reunion with Kyle Shanahan
Raheem Morris might be on the verge of a return to the NFL sidelines - and not as a head coach, but as a defensive coordinator. According to NBC San Francisco’s Matt Maiocco, Morris is one of three known candidates to interview for the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator vacancy, alongside Joe Woods and Gus Bradley.
This could be more than just another job interview for Morris. It’s a potential reunion with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, and the history between these two runs deep.
A Familiar Face in Familiar Territory
Morris, 49, most recently served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, but his tenure there came to an end after two seasons. While the head coaching chapter may be on pause, Morris’ résumé as a defensive mind remains strong - especially when you consider his Super Bowl-winning run as the Rams’ defensive coordinator.
Now, with Robert Saleh off to Tennessee to become the Titans’ head coach, the 49ers are in the market for someone who can reinvigorate a defense that struggled through injuries and inconsistency in 2025. Morris fits the bill - and the connection with Shanahan makes this a particularly compelling possibility.
The Shanahan-Morris Connection
Morris and Shanahan go back nearly two decades. The two worked together in Washington and again in Atlanta, where Morris was the assistant head coach during the Falcons’ 2016 Super Bowl run - a season when Shanahan was orchestrating one of the most explosive offenses in recent memory as offensive coordinator.
Their relationship is more than just professional. By Shanahan’s own account, he holds Morris in extremely high regard - even once saying that if he were a general manager, Morris would be his pick to lead a team. That kind of endorsement doesn’t come lightly, and it speaks to the level of trust and mutual respect between the two.
There are even stories of Shanahan going to bat for Morris in the past - including a moment at the 2005 NFL Combine that reportedly ended with Shanahan spending a night in jail after defending Morris during a wrongful arrest. That’s not your typical coach-colleague bond. That’s loyalty.
Why This Move Makes Sense
If Morris were to take the 49ers’ DC job, it wouldn’t just be about reuniting with an old friend. It would be a chance to work with one of the most talented defensive rosters in the league. Names like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner still anchor this unit, and while the 2025 season was marred by injuries, the foundation is strong.
For Morris, this could be the ideal reset - a return to a role where he’s thrived in the past, and a chance to help lead a team that’s still very much in the championship conversation. It would also put him back in the spotlight, not as a head coach trying to steer an entire franchise, but as a defensive architect working alongside a head coach who trusts him implicitly.
The Bigger Picture
While there’s no official word yet on whether Morris will land the job, the fact that he’s in the mix - and that Shanahan is involved - makes this one to watch. The 49ers are looking for someone who can bring stability and firepower back to the defensive side of the ball. Morris has done that before, and in the right situation, he can do it again.
Sometimes, the best move isn’t up - it’s back to what you do best. For Raheem Morris, that might mean trading the head coach headset for the DC clipboard and reuniting with a coach who’s always believed in him. If that happens in San Francisco, don’t be surprised if this defense bounces back in a big way.