Raheem Morris Outlines How His Football Philosophy Will Help 49ers

Team player.

Jan 4, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on the sideline against the New Orleans Saints in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

For the 2026 NFL season, Raheem Morris becomes the fifth defensive coordinator of Kyle Shanahan's tenure with the San Francisco 49ers.

How long Morris remains in San Francisco remains to be seen. He has yet to prove himself with the 49ers, but Morris is fresh off a head coaching stint with the Atlanta Falcons and previously won Super Bowl as the defensive coordinator under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams.

The 49ers have had DeMeco Ryans, Steve Wilks, Nick Sorensen, Robert Saleh in his second stint, and now Raheem Morris running the defense, giving Kyle Shanahan five different defensive coordinators since 2022.

To give a glimpse into Morris' approach to football from a leadership perspective, he revealed to the media how he sees football.

“I am so unselfish and it’s more about team wins," said Morris on Wednesday.

"So, for us it’s just like, how do we go out and be a better football team? And whatever that requires and whatever that means, let’s do that.

"How do you go out and help the Niners get to the ultimate goal and what we wanted to be? And that will never waver from how I believe and how I think.

"I don’t have selfish goals. I don’t have those type of things. I know they come up. I know they will come up. I know they will be the standard, they will be tested.”

Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris shown on the field prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

This was in response to how he wants to quantify the idea of being better than last year.

The 49ers struggled deeply with injuries last season, which highlighted the need for major improvements to the pass rush after recording the lowest sack total in the league.

It's unlikely there will be a significant jump immediately because Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams may still be rough around the edges after suffering season-ending injuries last season.

Osa Odighizuwa should help bolster the unit, but he can't do it all alone, while rookie Romello Height is unlikely to feature on every snap.

A starting safety spot is still to be determined, and at linebacker, it's unclear who will play alongside Fred Warner. There are plenty of options available, but Dre Greenlaw is likely to see the majority of the snaps because of their famed partnership.

The 49ers and Morris have one key aim, because as much as schematics play a part, winning games and getting results are what matter most.