What makes former Rams defensive coordinators so irresistible to the 49ers?

The San Francisco 49ers have entrusted their defense to former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. But Morris is not the first former Rams DC to be hired by the Niners gang. In 2024, they hired Brandon Staley as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

So what makes former Rams defensive coordinators so irresistible to San Fran?

Well, for openers, familiarity. It's easy to respect a guy whose defense opposes any NFL team multiple times in the same year. Respect comes from competition. And that respect leads to confidence and certainty. One of the toughest factors in hiring any coach is guessing what that coach will do in the new role.

But by hiring former Los Angeles DCs, San Francisco gets a defensive guy who knows the NFC West, who has proven his worth on the football field, and who has been previously vetted by one of the most selective coaching staffs in the league.

It was Morris who cleared house of underperforming edge rushers in the midst of the 2022 season. He opted to crosstrain defensive tackle Michael Hoecht into the role instead. And it was Morris who lured former Rams safety Eric Weddle out of his two-year retirement to help the team win a Super Bowl.

Morris thought outside the box.

Raheem Morris was effective, but not brilliant, Rams DC

But social media lit up with LA Rams fans' protests over their disappointment with Raheem Morris almost weekly. Fans simply didn't appreciate a bend-but-not-break defensive mindset, attributing losses to Morris despite evidence pointing elsewhere.

Fans believed that any defense that boasted All-Pro talent like Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey had no business preventing explosive plays. They wanted the defense to be on the attack, something that they seldom saw from the future Falcons head coach.

Raheem Morris was the Rams defensive coordinator from 2021 through 2023. And much like Matthew Stafford's debut that season, Morris helped to lead LA to claim its first Lombardi Trophy for the city. In 2021, Los Angeles boasted the NFL's 15th scoring defense.

In 2022, the defense ranked 22nd in scoring defense. By 2023. It rebounded to the 19th best in the league.

The Falcons, in need of a new head coach and familiar with Morris, hired him away. Since then, LA has been pleased with the more aggressive defensive style of defensive coordinator Chris Shula. That has paved the way for the 49ers, who had lost Robert Saleh from his defensive coordinator role for the second time, to hire Morris.

It could work. Morris loves strong linebacker play, and he'll get that in Fred Warner. And he loves to keep every play in front of him, which could be very effective against the Seattle Seahawks. But he prefers to give offenses plenty of cushion, and that can ignite fans' ire if it doesn't work.

What makes former Rams defensive coordinators so irresistible to the 49ers? While there are many contributing factors, one obvious one stands out. Raheem Morris has a Super Bowl Ring from that 2021 season. That's something the 49ers have not earned in over 30 years.

As always, thanks for reading.

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