The San Francisco 49ers are replacing one accomplished defensive coordinator with another coach who has had plenty of success as a defensive coordinator.
Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is expected to be hired as the 49ers’ next defensive coordinator, ESPN reported Sunday. Morris will replace Robert Saleh, who became the Tennessee Titans‘ head coach in January after one season back with the 49ers as their defensive coordinator.
Morris was fired by the Falcons after two seasons as head coach at the end of the 2025 regular season. But prior to becoming the Falcons’ head coach, Morris helped steer the Los Angeles Rams‘ defense to success as their defensive coordinator. The Rams won the Super Bowl in Morris’ first year at the helm in 2021, helping him become a strong head coach candidate.
The Falcons’ defense was also respectable under Morris this past season. They ranked 15th in total defense and 12th in defensive DVOA, with Atlanta’s defense notably having a standout performance when it intercepted Matthew Stafford three times in its Week 17 upset win over Los Angeles.
Now, Morris will take over a 49ers defense that arguably overperformed in 2025, considering the injuries they had. Even though edge rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner missed the majority of the year, the 49ers ranked 13th in scoring defense and 20th in yards allowed.
Morris had also received head coaching interest following the Falcons’ decision to fire him, interviewing with a handful of teams for the head coach vacancies in January.
