Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris landed fast after leaving Atlanta, hired by the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator this offseason, per ESPN. Robert Saleh’s exit from San Francisco — he left to become the Tennessee Titans’ head coach — opened the vacancy Morris now fills.
How Atlanta Shaped Morris’s Coaching Path
Morris built his NFL head coaching resume through stops that included leading the Atlanta Falcons. That background made him a target for Kyle Shanahan when San Francisco’s coordinator seat opened.
His Atlanta tenure gave him reps calling coverage shells against the NFC South’s pass-heavy attacks. Those reps translate directly to what Shanahan needs from a coordinator who can adjust mid-game. Coaches who arrive with prior head coaching experience tend to handle in-game clock and personnel calls more cleanly. Morris logged those reps at the highest level before this hire.
The numbers reveal something about that Atlanta run worth noting here. His defenses ranked in the top half of the NFL in blitz rate during his tenure. His units generated pressure on an above-average share of passing downs. His Atlanta squads also held opposing offenses under their season scoring average in multiple late-season stretches. Those three data points show a coordinator who knew how to apply pressure and manage game situations when the calendar mattered most.
The 49ers’ coordinator seat carries extra weight given San Francisco’s recent playoff runs. Whoever fills that role must manage a roster built around elite pass rushers and versatile defensive backs — exactly the type of personnel groupings Morris worked with during his time in Atlanta.
San Francisco’s staff construction did not stop with Morris. Shanahan also hired former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus to join the 49ers’ defensive unit, according to ESPN. Two former NFL head coaches anchoring a single defensive staff is an unusual arrangement at the coordinator level. It gives San Francisco a deep well of experience calling defenses against varied offensive systems.
Film from the 2024 season shows the 49ers used Brandon Staley as a top-level defensive assistant supporting then-coordinator Nick Sorensen. San Francisco later added another assistant after Saleh returned to the organization before he departed for Tennessee. That pattern shows Shanahan consistently stacking his defensive staff with experienced voices rather than leaning on one coordinator to carry the full load.
Across three seasons, the 49ers cycled through multiple defensive coordinator arrangements while keeping their offensive identity intact under Shanahan. The defensive side was the variable. Morris now inherits a unit that saw significant scheme and personnel turnover at the coordinator level. That creates both an opening and a challenge for a coach stepping in from outside the organization.
What Morris’s Arrival Means for San Francisco
Morris stepping into the coordinator role means San Francisco will likely blend his Atlanta-era tendencies with Shanahan’s broader system preferences. Morris has shown comfort with both zone-heavy coverage shells and man-press concepts depending on personnel matchups. That flexibility matters when facing NFC West opponents with varied offensive identities.
One fair counterpoint: coordinators arriving from head coaching jobs sometimes need a reset period before their play-calling sharpens back to peak form. Morris will need to re-acclimate to calling defense after managing the full scope of a head coaching job. Shanahan’s strong presence as an offensive-minded head coach may actually help here. It frees Morris to focus entirely on the defensive side without the administrative weight of running a full program.
Film from San Francisco’s best defensive seasons shows those units performed well when the coordinator held clear authority over the scheme and worked with a stable personnel base. Morris now holds both the title and the background to build that stability. Whether the 49ers’ defensive cap commitments allow for the personnel upgrades Morris might prefer is a separate salary cap question the front office will need to address this offseason.
Key Developments in the 49ers’ Defensive Staff Overhaul
The 49ers hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as defensive coordinator, filling the vacancy left by Robert Saleh.
Saleh departed San Francisco to become the Tennessee Titans’ head coach, which triggered the coordinator search.
Shanahan is adding former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus to the defensive staff, per ESPN.
In 2024, San Francisco used Brandon Staley as a top-level defensive assistant supporting then-coordinator Nick Sorensen before adding another assistant when Saleh returned.
The 49ers have now brought in two former NFL head coaches — Morris and Eberflus — to anchor their defensive staff for the 2026 season.
What Comes Next for Morris and the 49ers
Morris’s next move is weaving his defensive scheme into San Francisco’s existing personnel framework. The 49ers’ roster construction on defense will shape how aggressively he can deploy the blitz-heavy, multiple-front concepts he favored during his time with Atlanta. Salary cap commitments from San Francisco’s current roster will factor into whether the front office can add depth at linebacker or in the secondary to match his preferred depth chart.
Eberflus joining the staff adds another layer of scheme expertise. Two former head coaches working under Shanahan creates an interesting internal dynamic — one where the coordinator role carries genuine authority but also benefits from a built-in sounding board in Eberflus. That collaborative setup will matter when San Francisco approaches the 2026 NFL Draft with defensive needs to address.
For Atlanta Falcons fans tracking this offseason, Morris’s quick landing in San Francisco signals that his coaching reputation stayed intact despite the results of his head coaching run with the Falcons. Atlanta now builds its own new coaching staff, while Morris gets a fresh shot at shaping one of the NFC’s more talented defensive rosters. The 49ers are counting on that experience to pay off in 2026.
Why did the 49ers hire Raheem Morris as defensive coordinator?
The San Francisco 49ers hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as defensive coordinator to fill the vacancy created when Robert Saleh left to become the Tennessee Titans’ head coach, according to ESPN. Morris brings prior head coaching experience and a background in defensive scheme construction that Shanahan targeted for the role.
Who is Matt Eberflus and why is he joining the 49ers?
Matt Eberflus is a former Chicago Bears head coach being added to the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive staff under Shanahan, per ESPN. Eberflus joins Morris on a defensive staff that now includes two former NFL head coaches, giving San Francisco significant coordinator-level experience on that side of the ball.
What happened to the 49ers’ previous defensive coordinator?
Robert Saleh was a key figure in San Francisco’s defensive staff before leaving to become the Tennessee Titans’ head coach, which opened the coordinator position Morris now fills. Prior to Saleh’s departure, Nick Sorensen had served as coordinator with Brandon Staley as a top-level defensive assistant in 2024.
How does the Morris hire affect the Atlanta Falcons?
Morris’s move to San Francisco means the Atlanta Falcons are building their own coaching staff without their former head coach, who has now landed a prominent defensive role with the 49ers. His quick placement signals continued league-wide demand for his defensive coaching background.
Marcus Cole is a former college quarterback who has spent over 12 years covering the NFL as a sportswriter. After playing four seasons at the collegiate level, he transitioned to journalism and quickly earned a reputation for breaking down complex play designs in plain English. His work has been featured in regional sports publications across the South, and he has covered six Super Bowls from the press box. Marcus specializes in offensive scheme analysis, quarterback evaluations, and draft coverage.
