Raheem Morris has already been an NFL head coach three times, but the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator isn't necessarily looking at his current job as a stepping stone to another opportunity.
Morris was asked by reporters this past week whether he wants to be a head coach again, and his response offered a different perspective on the NFL's coaching hierarchy.
"We are somewhere in society been screwed up, right? We have got this illusion in our head that everybody is a head coach," he said. "Guys, there are 32 head coaches in the National Football League. There are 32 defensive coordinators, and there are 32 offensive coordinators, and there's 32 everything we do."
Raheem Morris was asked if he wants to get back to being a head coach.
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) October 17, 2026
Here was his answer: pic.twitter.com/yvHo1KRjqY
The comments suggest Morris is content with his role as a coordinator for one of the best teams in the NFL. He has helped San Francisco's defense get off to a strong start through five games — allowing just 93 points, the third-fewest in the NFL, while ranking sixth in total yards allowed (1,486). The 49ers have also surrendered just five passing touchdowns, tied for the third-fewest in the league.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear he wants Morris to remain in San Francisco for the foreseeable future.
"I see Raheem here for as long as I'm here. And if I wasn't, I'm sure they wouldn't be getting rid of him either," Shanahan said Thursday. "Raheem's so good of a coach, you've always got to be nervous you'll lose him as a head coach. But, if that doesn't happen I don't plan on him ever leaving. So, got to make sure that happens."
Morris has experience leading a team, having served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head coach from 2009-2011 before taking over the Atlanta Falcons in 2020, and then again from 2024-2025. He went 17-31 in Tampa Bay and 20-25 in Atlanta, finishing his head coaching career with a 37-56 record.
His latest comments suggest he understands the value of his current position, even if another head coaching opportunity eventually comes his way. But, as with other long-time coordinators, the grass isn't always greener as a head coach.
Take his predecessor, Robert Saleh. He rejoined the 49ers' coaching staff in 2025 after leaving in 2020 to become the head coach of the New York Jets before he was fired in 2024. Saleh left the 49ers again to become the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, who are 1-5 through six weeks. New England Patriots offensive coordinator is another long-time coordinator who kept returning to his roots after multiple failed stints.
The 49ers have also struggled to maintain continuity at defensive coordinator in recent years, so keeping Morris around would be ideal for both sides. Since Saleh first left in 2020, the team has cycled through several coordinators, with DeMeco Ryans the only one besides Saleh to hold the position for more than one season.
If Morris continues to produce results, San Francisco has every reason to keep him around. And as Shanahan's comments make clear, the 49ers would prefer that another head coaching job doesn't take him away.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Raheem Morris addresses whether he wants to be a head coach again