The San Francisco 49ers are in a weird stage right now where they are good not great, and that includes head coach Kyle Shanahan, quarterback Brock Purdy, and now their defensive coordinator spot after Robert Saleh became the Titans head coach.
They have a hole at defensive coordinator, and there is a clear coach that is a fit, and that is former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris.
*Prediction*
The NFL is all about connections, and head coach Kyle Shanahan and Raheem Morris have one of the most unique connections you’ll ever find.
Kyle Shanahan was arrested in 2005 for defending Raheem Morris at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and it’s such a wild story. This is not an end all be all for the job, but once again as NFL Insider Benjamin Allbright discussed, they often dictate jobs.
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This story is incredible on Raheem Morris and Shanahan from 2005:
“A little after 2:00 am, as Morris and his friends were attempting to enter the ‘Have a Nice Day Cafe,’ he was abruptly tackled by a group of police officers, who handcuffed him after applying a chokehold while pinning down his face on the cement…Shanahan, perceiving the incident as racially motivated, lost his mind.” – From the book “Why is Everything.”
“So, he’s asking for badge numbers. Cops didn’t take it well. Literally two minutes later, Morris recalled, he [Shanahan] was lying down right next to me. We didn’t know what was going on; they put us both in the wagon and took us in.”
The two were taken to the Arrestee Processing Center. While Morris was incorrectly arrested due to mistaken identity, Shanahan was charged with misdemeanor intoxication. After a court appearance, the two were released.
It was reported that Gus Bradley is the favorite, but Jeremy Fowler also acknowledged that Morris could be in the running:
“Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed senior assistant Gus Bradley is a strong candidate for the job, calling him the “obvious” choice. But Bradley staying in San Francisco seems like a sensible move at this point. Raheem Morris is also an attractive option there.”
Morris is no longer is the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons, so he can focus specifically on defense, and with a team returning Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Mykel Williams back from injuries, it makes too much sense for a guy like Morris not to have success in San Francisco.