Raheem Morris enters his 25th overall NFL season and his first as defensive coordinator for the 49ers.
Morris joins the 49ers after spending the previous two seasons (2024-25) as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. During his tenure in Atlanta, Morris guided the Falcons offense to top 10 rankings in multiple categories. The Falcons ranked eighth in rushing yards per game (128.1) and ninth in total yards (11,948), yards per game (351.4) and passing yards per game (223.3). Defensively, Morris' Falcons tallied 88 sacks and 28 interceptions, tied for the seventh and 11th-most in the NFL, respectively, during that span (2024-25).
The 2025 Falcons featured four Associated Press All-Pro selections in RB Bijan Robinson (First-Team Running Back & Second-Team All-Purpose), TE Kyle Pitts Sr. (Second-Team), OL Chris Lindstrom (Second-Team) and S Jessie Bates III (Second-Team) and two Pro Bowl selections in Robinson and Lindstrom. Morris saw Robinson lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,298) and finish with the fourth-most rushing yards (1,478), while Pitts Sr. finished second among tight ends in receptions (88), receiving yards (928) and receiving first downs (51). Pitts Sr.'s 88 receptions marked a career high, and he also added a career-high five receiving touchdowns. Bates III finished the season with 98 tackles, six passes defensed, three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and one forced fumble. Morris' defensive unit also featured LB Kaden Elliss, who led the team with 107 tackles, and rookie DL James Pearce Jr. and rookie DL Jalon Walker, who combined for 16.0 sacks. Pearce Jr. (10.5 sacks) and Walker (5.5 sacks) led all NFL rookies in sacks and helped Morris' defense register 57.0 total sacks, the second-most in the NFL.
In Morris' first year at the helm in Atlanta (2024), the Falcons again featured Lindstrom, who earned AP Second-Team AllPro honors, and boasted three selections to the Pro Bowl in Robinson, Lindstrom and WR KhaDarel Hodge (special teamer). The Falcons offense finished the season ranking in the top 10 in passing yards per game (239.3 – fifth), total yards per game (369.8 – sixth) and rushing yards per game (130.5 – 10th). Morris helped Robinson make his first Pro Bowl appearance by finishing third in the NFL in rushing yards (1,456) and tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns (14). Morris also guided WR Drake London to career and team highs in receptions (100), receiving yards (1,271) and receiving touchdowns (nine), making him the third player in Falcons history to record 100-or-more receptions, 1,200-or-more receiving yards and nine-or-more receiving touchdowns in a season.
Defensively, the Falcons were again led by Bates III and Elliss. Bates III finished the season with 102 tackles, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 10 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, 1.0 sack and one fumble recovery, making him the only player in the NFL that season to record four-or-more interceptions and four-or-more forced fumbles. Elliss finished with a career-high 150 tackles, 5.0 sacks, three passes defensed, one interception and one forced fumble. He became the third player since 2000, and the first in Falcons history, to register 150-or-more tackles and 5.0-or-more sacks in a single season.
Before taking the helm in Atlanta, Morris spent three seasons (2021-23) as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. During that span, the Rams defense ranked fourth in opponent red zone efficiency (50.0%) and seventh in opponent rushing yards per game (108.4). His unit also tallied 45 interceptions during his tenure, the seventh-most in the NFL. In 2023, Morris' defensive unit helped the Rams post a record of 10-7 and make an appearance in the NFC Wild Card Round. His unit was led by LB Ernest Jones, who posted 145 tackles, the 11th-most in the NFL, and 4.5 sacks. Morris also worked with DL Aaron Donald in the final season of his career, helping him earn AP First-Team All-Pro honors and his 10th-consecutive Pro Bowl selection after registering 53 tackles, 8.0 sacks and three passes defensed. That defensive line also featured rookies DL Kobie Turner (9.0 sacks) and DL Byron Young (8.0 sacks), who led all NFL rookies in sacks that season.
