It has been almost one week since the 49ers decided to hire former Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris as new defensive coordinator.

This will be the fourth time both coaches have worked together in their respective careers, but this is the first time they will pair up on the West Coast. The move comes after former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh agreed to be the next head coach of the Tennessee Titans.

Kyle Shanahan and Raheem Morris have been together at three separate stops:

🏈Tampa Bay (2004–05)
🏈Washington (2012-13)
🏈Atlanta (2015–16)

Now, it will be a fourth, as they join forces in San Francisco. https://t.co/ErGv4DevyU

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 1, 2026

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay commented Monday on his friendship with Morris becoming his newest NFC rival while on vacation in Cabo with Morris’ family. McVay himself signed a multiyear contract extension to remain with Los Angeles.

“I was with Raheem and his wife yesterday out here, so it is weird going against your buddy but he’s a great coach,” he shared. “I think part of the challenge in this league is you’re coaching against some of your closest friends week in and week out; it’s a special thing that you don’t take for granted but I wouldn’t have minded if it was in a different division,” he said.

Morris will be the fourth defensive coordinator hired by the 49ers in the last five seasons, and former NFL quarterback turned NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms believes he can take San Francisco’s injured defensive game to another level by offering more versatility and forcing turnovers.

McVay also worked alongside Shanahan in Washington from 2010-13 but defeated him in their only playoff matchup as head coaches back in 2021. McVay also won a Super Bowl in 2022, an achievement Shanahan lacks. Shanahan tried to hire Morris back in 2017 when he was first named 49ers head coach, but the move was blocked by Atlanta.

Morris was one of three candidates Shanahan interviewed for the defensive coordinator position, beating out previous pass game coordinator Joe Woods and assistant defensive coach Gus Bradley. If the head coach of San Francisco’s biggest division rivals is praising the hire, it must have been the right choice.

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