It wasn't the head coaching position Raheem Morris was hoping for, but the ex-Atlanta Falcons' head coach will be coaching in 2026. Despite some brief speculation that Morris would consider taking a year off from coaching, the opportunity to reunite with Kyle Shanahan was too good to pass up.
The 49-year-old was just hired as the next defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers after Robert Saleh left for Tennessee. He quickly emerged as a top candidate because of his decades-long friendship with Shanahan, which makes for an interesting storyline for Falcons fans to take note of.
ESPN sources: The 49ers are set to hire former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as their defensive coordinator. Morris is expected to replace Robert Saleh, who was hired as the Tennessee Titans head coach. pic.twitter.com/6gLA4BqFID
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 1, 2026
Beyond the reunion of two top assistants from Atlanta's 2016 Super Bowl coaching staff, the Dirty Birds may have a problem on their hands in 2026. The Falcons are set to host the 49ers this season, which will give our answer about if the choice to fire Morris for Kevin Stefanski was the right decision.
Raheem Morris joins forces with Kyle Shanhan to be the 49ers' new DC
Morris and Shanahan have worked together thrice before, as Mike Shanahan gave the veteran head coach an opportunity to revive his career in Washington after being fired as the head coach of the Bucs. And when Shanahan became the Falcons' OC in 2015, Morris quickly followed him to Atlanta.
As for what this hire means, this is a fantastic move for the Niners. Morris was one of the most coveted coaches available on the DC market, but was holding out hope that he'd be hired as the next head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, who instead opted to hire Mike LaFleur.
It didn't even take an hour to see Morris pivot toward another opportunity in the NFC West, a division where history has treated him right. He won a Super Bowl as the DC of the Rams in 2021 and has the track record to do some serious damage with a Niners' defense led by Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
Morris now has a better shot to land another head coaching opportunity down the line, as a return to San Francisco helped Saleh land a second shot as a head coach. It may not be as soon as he was hoping for, but his expected impact in the 49er locker room is something that cannot be understated.
It's nice to see Morris landing on his feet after the way things ended in Atlanta, as it's hard not to root for him. He's a good guy and a respected leader, but just isn't built to be a head coach. So now Falcons fans can root for him on Sundays (expect when he's facing off against his old team) this fall.