.png) Morris with theAtlanta Falcons in 2024 | |
| San Francisco 49ers | |
|---|---|
| Title | Defensive coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1976-09-03)September 3, 1976 (age 49) Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Irvington(Irvington, New Jersey) |
| College | Hofstra (1994–1997) |
| Position | Safety |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | 37–56 (.398) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Dejohnold Raheem Morris[1] (born September 3, 1976) is an American professionalfootball coach who is thedefensive coordinator for theSan Francisco 49ers of theNational Football League (NFL). He most recently was thehead coach for theAtlanta Falcons of theNational Football League (NFL) from 2024 to 2025. Morris also previously served as the head coach of theTampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011 and interim head coach of the Falcons in 2020 and was an assistant coach for theKansas State Wildcats,Washington Commanders, andLos Angeles Rams, winningSuper Bowl LVI with the lattermost.
Morris graduated fromHofstra University with a degree in Physical Education in 1998 after playing safety at Hofstra from 1994 to 1997.[2] That same year, he began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Hofstra University, being responsible for coaching the offensive scout team, developing scouting reports and handling video breakdown and computer input and analysis. In 1999, Morris was hired byCornell University as their defensive backs coach andspecial teams assistant.[3] The following year, he returned to Hofstra as defensive backs coach. Morris spent time in 2001 as an intern with theNew York Jets.[4]
Before the 2002 season, Morris was hired by the Buccaneers to become their defensive quality control coach, where he helped them have the top-ranked defense and win the franchise's first everSuper Bowl, beating theOakland Raiders 48–21 inSuper Bowl XXXVII.[5] In 2003, Morris became a defensive assistant. From 2004 to 2005, he was the assistant defensive backs coach. After 2005, Morris went to Kansas State to be theirdefensive coordinator.
Morris spent one season with theKansas State Wildcats in2006, as defensive coordinator under then-head coachRon Prince.[6] Morris helped the defense in several statistical categories including total defense, scoring defense and pass defense, and aided the Wildcats in their upset of the #4Texas Longhorns during the2006 season.
Before the 2007 season, Morris returned to the Buccaneers to be their defensive backs coach, replacingGreg Burns. After the team's pass defense fell to 19th in 2006, Morris helped the pass defense achieve the league's top ranking in 2007.[7]
In December 2008, it was announced that Morris would take over asdefensive coordinator for the Buccaneers for the 2009 season afterMonte Kiffin announced that he would be leaving the team to join his son,Lane Kiffin, atTennessee.[8] Just a month later on January 16, 2009,head coachJon Gruden was fired by the Buccaneers and Morris was named the team's head coach.[9] Morris had also interviewed for head coach with theDenver Broncos before being hired by Tampa Bay.[10]
After starting the season 0–7, Morris earned his first victory as a head coach in week 9 against theGreen Bay Packers. On November 24, 2009, Morris took over as defensive coordinator afterJim Bates was fired.[11] He finished his first year as the head coach, leading the team to last in theNFC South with a 3–13 record.[12] In his second season, the team finished 10–6, barely missing the playoffs.[13] That seven-game turnaround was the best in franchise history. In 2010, Morris became the first coach since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger to start at least 10 rookies and finish with a winning record.[14]
During Week 13 of the2011 NFL season, against theCarolina Panthers, Morris banished defensive tackleBrian Price to the sideline after Price shoved Panthers guardMackenzy Bernadeau well after the end of a third quarter play in whichCam Newton was sacked for a four-yard loss.[15] Price was penalized for unnecessary roughness. Morris was incensed because the sack would have forced the Panthers into a 3rd-and-14 situation. However, the resulting 15-yard penalty gave the Panthers a first down, allowing them to complete a touchdown drive that put the game out of reach (the Panthers won 38–19).[16] After the game, a visibly angry Morris called Price's actions "foolish" and "selfish." The move drew comparisons to thenSan Francisco 49ers coachMike Singletary banishingVernon Davis from the sideline after a personal foul in 2008.[17]
On January 2, 2012, Morris was fired as head coach of the Buccaneers after a 4–12 season, including losing their last 10 games.[18]
On January 11, 2012, Morris was hired by theWashington Redskins as their defensive backs coach, a position he held until the end of the 2014 season.[19]
On February 10, 2015, Morris was named assistant head coach & defensive pass game coordinator for theAtlanta Falcons under new head coachDan Quinn.[20] On January 25, 2016, he was moved from defensive pass game coordinator to wide receivers coach.[21][22]
In the 2016 season, Morris and the Falcons reachedSuper Bowl LI, where they faced theNew England Patriots on February 5, 2017. In the Super Bowl, the Falcons fell in a 34–28 overtime defeat.[23]
Entering the 2017 season, Morris added the title of offensive pass game coordinator to his previous duties,[24] and for the 2018 season, he was solely the assistant head coach and offensive pass game coordinator.[25]
Entering the 2019 season, Morris again changed roles, reverting to assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.[26] However, on November 4, 2019, during the team’s bye week after a 1–7 start to the season, Morris was reassigned from wide receivers to secondary coach.[27]
Entering the 2020 season, Morris was promoted to defensive coordinator.[28] However, on October 12, 2020, head coach Dan Quinn was fired after an 0–5 start to the season, and Morris was named interim head coach for the rest of the year while linebackers coachJeff Ulbrich was promoted to interim defensive coordinator.[29] The Falcons finished with a 4–7 record under Morris but finished 4–12 overall and fourth in the NFC South.[30]
On January 21, 2021, Morris was hired by theLos Angeles Rams as defensive coordinator under head coachSean McVay, replacingBrandon Staley, who left to become the head coach of theLos Angeles Chargers.[31]
On February 13, 2022, Morris won his second Super Bowl when the Rams defeated theCincinnati Bengals 23–20 inSuper Bowl LVI.[32] Morris remained with the Rams for two more seasons, and while the team fell to 5-12 in2022, the team rebounded with a 10–7 record in2023 and returned to the playoffs.
After interviewing Morris, as well asBill Belichick,Jim Harbaugh, andMike Vrabel, theAtlanta Falcons hired Morris as their head coach on January 25, 2024.[33][34] The Falcons finished the 2024 season second in the NFC South with an 8–9 record.[35] Morris received criticism about his time management on various occasions, particularly in a game against theWashington Commanders that Atlanta lost in overtime and subsequently eliminated them from the playoffs.[36][37]
After compiling another 8–9 record in 2025, Morris and general managerTerry Fontenot were fired on January 4, 2026.[38]
On February 1, 2026, Morris was hired by theSan Francisco 49ers to be their defensive coordinator, reuniting with head coachKyle Shanahan, whom he worked with in Atlanta.[39]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| TB | 2009 | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 4th in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| TB | 2010 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3rd in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| TB | 2011 | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 4th in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| TB Total | 17 | 31 | 0 | .354 | — | — | — | — | ||
| ATL* | 2020 | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 4th in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| ATL | 2024 | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 2nd in NFC South | – | – | – | – |
| ATL | 2025 | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3rd in NFC South | — | — | — | — |
| ATL Total | 20 | 25 | 0 | .444 | — | — | — | — | ||
| Total | 37 | 56 | 0 | .398 | — | — | — | — | ||
*Interim head coach
Media related toRaheem Morris at Wikimedia Commons