The San Francisco 49ers lost their defensive coordinator this offseason, as Robert Saleh accepted a head coaching job with the Tennessee Titans. That was a tough blow for the Niners, as Saleh is obviously very good at running a defense but the good news is that the 49ers found a solid replacement for Saleh.
Raheem Morris is officially taking over as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco. The hire was made official on Sunday and, for the most part, fans seem to be excited about Morris joining the staff.
Raheem Morris gives 49ers another solid defensive coordinator
Niners fans knew when Saleh returned to his old role in San Francisco that it would probably be temporary and that proved to be true when he left after one year to join the Titans. A silver lining to Morris joining this staff is that he's already had two cracks at being a head coach and it's not often that a guy gets a third chance at that role.
If Morris was to get offered another head coaching job, it'd mean he's thriving as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco, so that's another plus for the 49ers. If anyone wants to steal him away, it'll be because he's doing a nice job.
Morris was the defensive coordinator of the rival Rams from 2021 to 2023 and, in particular, had a solid run defense. His defense in the 2021 season helped the Rams win their first Super Bowl in over two decades and it made sense that eventually he got another opportunity to be a head coach.
It didn't work out for Morris in Atlanta but he very well could be one of those guys who are great coordinators but don't have what it takes to be a head coach. If this is the case, the 49ers should have Morris at their disposal for awhile and, better yet, he's worked directly with a major rival as well.
Good hire all around.