Falcons HC Raheem Morris receives raving endorsement from 49ers' Kyle Shanahan
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan took time during his pre-NFC Championship game press conference on Friday to rave about Atlanta Falcons' new head coach Raheem Morris. The two go way back after crossing paths at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004, with the then-Washington Redskins in 2011, and once more in Atlanta in […]
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan took time during his pre-NFC Championship game press conference on Friday to rave about Atlanta Falcons' new head coach Raheem Morris.
The two go way back after crossing paths at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004, with the then-Washington Redskins in 2011, and once more in Atlanta in 2015.
“It’s way past due,” Shanahan said. “Raheem’s one of the best coaches I’ve been with. I got to work with him earlier in my career in Tampa. When I was young, I was trying to get my dad to hire him as a [defensive] coordinator. He ended up becoming a head coach so fast."
Shanahan added that he had been trying to recruit Morris to the Niners for the last seven years.
"I got a chance to work with him in Washington," Shanahan said. "Then Atlanta, he actually was on defense. He got to come work with me on offense for a year. The fact that he was on defense his whole career and came to be our receiver coach, it was unbelievable how cool he was. How good he did. Always tried to get him here every single year. But Raheem’s been one of the best. He's going to hell of an organization, a good situation with good people. I’m really happy for Atlanta that they got him and more than happy for Raheem."
Morris had many titles during his first stint with the Falcons. He worked as the team's assistant head coach, passing game coordinator, wide receivers coach, defensive coordinator and interim head coach.
Morris went 4-7 as the Falcons temporary head coach and interviewed to replace Dan Quinn following the 2020 season, but he didn't get the job.
That's when Morris landed in LA under Sean McVay and helped lead the Rams to a 2021 season Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals in his first year as the team's defensive coordinator.
Morris' 2023 defense was relatively young but the Rams still finished with an overall 10-7 record and managed a second post-season berth during his time there.
Falcons fans have had mixed feelings about Morris being named head coach, but maybe Shanahan's endorsement will put them at ease and change their perspective.
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