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Is there such a thing as firer’s remorse?
While Raheem Morris game-plans for Bijan Robinson and the Falcons this week as the 49ers’ hot-shot defensive coordinator, Atlanta has to be wondering if it’s any better off a little more than nine months after showing him the door, sitting at 2-4 under new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Falcons finished 8-9 and missed the postseason in both seasons Morris was at the helm. But they haven’t started a season this poorly since 2020, and while Morris has elevated San Francisco’s defense to new heights, Atlanta’s has taken a step back under Jeff Ulbrich.
At least as far as Morris and the 49ers are concerned, there’s no hard feelings.
When Atlanta moved on from Morris after last season, it finally gave Kyle Shanahan the chance to make the hire he originally wanted in 2017, only to be denied permission by the Falcons.
A decade and four other coordinators later, Morris just might be the final coach to find a seat in the 49ers’ game of musical chairs to fill the position leading their defense. The early returns on his facelift of the unit have been so positive it’s no doubt the Niners want to keep him around.
As long as it’s up to Shanahan, “I see Raheem here for as long as I’m here,” he said last week.
But here’s the thing: A good coordinator only stays an assistant for so long. Shanahan would have also loved to hang on to Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans, but both parlayed the job into promotions (twice in Saleh’s case). Morris made the same jump after leading the Rams’ defense on their run to the Super Bowl when the Falcons came calling about their head-coaching gig.
“Raheem’s so good of a coach, you’ve always got to be nervous you’ll lose him as a head coach,” Shanahan said. “But, if that doesn’t happen I don’t plan on him ever leaving.”
There’s reason to believe Morris is interested in sticking around for the long haul.
While the 49ers cycled through all their other defensive coordinators, Morris gained valuable perspective and, perhaps, learned something about himself along the way.
A great coordinator doesn’t necessarily guarantee success as a head coach. Between his three years running the Rams’ defense and what we’ve seen so far in charge of the Niners’ unit, there should be no debate about Morris’ abilities as a defensive coordinator.
So what if he never gets a third try at one of the 32 top jobs?
After being fired by the Buccaneers and Falcons, Morris seems content as Shanahan’s No. 2 in San Francisco.
The idea of striving for a bigger gig than being a happy and successful defensive coordinator under a head coach whom he’s known for nearly two decades elicited a laugh out of Morris.
“We have somewhere in society been screwed up, right? We have got this illusion in our head that everybody’s a head coach,” he said. “Guys, there are 32 head coaches in the National Football League. There’s 32 defensive coordinators and there are 32 offensive coordinators and there’s 32 everything we do. … You couldn’t have a better job than all of us.”
In Morris’ case, that job doesn’t get any more important than it is this week.
Potentially playing without any of their top six receivers, the 49ers’ best chance to beat the Falcons and maintain their perfect record entering their bye week rests on Morris’ shoulders.
They probably wouldn’t be 6-0 in the first place without Morris in the defensive coordinator chair.
Despite losing Nick Bosa and five other defensive linemen within the first two weeks of the season, Morris’ creative schemes have allowed them to improve their pass rush from a year ago. They’re three-quarters of the way to their sack total from last season, with 11 different defenders getting to the QB on their way to 15 through six games, tied for 12th in the NFL.
Morris’ background, primarily in the passing game, was a change of pace from previous DCs who were more focused on the front seven, and practically every player in the 49ers’ secondary has been playing at the highest level of their careers early on.
Together, it’s resulted in the fewest explosive plays allowed in the NFL, the fourth-fewest points allowed per game (18.3) and the fifth-fewest yards (300 per game). Meanwhile, Atlanta is allowing opponents to put up 25.5 points per game, 23rd out of 32 teams and more than either of Morris’ two seasons.
“It doesn’t surprise me with Raheem,” Shanahan said. “I’ve just been around him for too long. He’s one of the best people and best coaches I’ve ever been around. … He’s done an unbelievable job this year, especially with the injuries, but just overall everything he’s mixed up schematically.
“I love the confidence he’s given our DBs and the way they’ve been playing since training camp. He’s had a real huge effect on this team and we’re very lucky to have him.”
There were plenty of reasons for Morris to have this week circled on his calendar.
But forget about those revenge-game stakes for a second.
This week has turned into Morris’ most important task yet as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator.
It’s only all the more juicy that it’s coming against the team that fired him nine months ago.
“I know [the players] care about Raheem a lot and definitely would want to [win] for him,” Shanahan said. “But, I don’t think we’re looking at too much of a personal game like that.”
Webeck’s winner: 49ers 17, Falcons 10
Nothing has gotten in the 49ers’ way thus far, and Michael Penix Jr. certainly isn’t the quarterback that’s going to put an end to their perfect start. Even without Mike Evans, the 49ers have the offensive weapons to go toe to toe with Bijan Robinson and Drake London in Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle. It’ll be closer than it should be, but give me Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ defense fighting for Raheem Morris in a one-possession game.