The “Shanahan coaching tree” has many members. Many of whom are employed as head coaches or assistant coaches to this day. That applies to both offensive and defensive minds alike. Sunday night’s game is a reunion of sorts between Kyle Shanahan and Raheem Morris.
The pair worked together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 under Jon Gruden. Shanahan started as offensive quality control coach, and Morris was a defensive assistant in 2003 before becoming the assistant defensive backs coach in 2004. Shanahan would break down game film for Gruden and draw up plays that Gruden would use and add to his playbook.
Morris would depart for Kansas State before the 2006 season to become their defensive coordinator. Shanahan was hired by Gary Kubiak to become the wide receivers coach for the Houston Texans. With a return to the Bucs in 2007, Morris began his second stint with Tampa Bay, but this time as the primary defensive backs coach. The Buccaneers became the top pass defense in the NFL. Shanahan became the Texans’ quarterbacks coach in 2007, while being offered the offensive coordinator position at the University of Minnesota. Citing the desire to be an NFL coach, Shanahan declined.
Before the 2009 season, Morris took the defensive coordinator job for the Bucs under Gruden. One month after his promotion, Morris would be promoted to head coach following Gruden’s dismissal. Shanahan had become the youngest coordinator in the NFL as the Texans promoted him to offensive coordinator before the 2008 season. Matt Schaub led the NFL in passing yards, and Andre Johnson led the league in receiving yards under Shanahan.
Morris would fail to reach the playoffs in the NFC as head coach in Tampa Bay and was let go before the 2012 season after losing his final ten games. Shanahan joined his father in Washington in 2010 to become the offensive coordinator, and Morris would join him following his time in Tampa Bay to become the defensive backs coach. The younger Shanahan would try to convince his father to hire Morris as the defensive coordinator. Mike would ignore his son’s case.
Following the 2013 season, Shanahan would move on to Cleveland as offensive coordinator under Mike Pettine. After a one-and-done year, Shanahan moved on to Atlanta for the OC job and was joined by Morris, who was hired as assistant head coach, defensive backs coach, and defensive pass game coordinator. After an 8-8 season in 2015, Shanahan and Morris would team up as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, and pass game coordinator. The Falcons would come within moments of winning the Super Bowl.
The Falcons would see Shanahan walk to become the 49ers’ head coach, while Morris would stay with the organization until 2020, serving as defensive coordinator and head coach in his final season. The duo would clash from 2021 to 2023, as Morris became the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams won the ultimate prize, and Shanahan is still in search of his Lombardi.
Now, Morris and Shanahan meet again on Sunday night. The two have grown together with different organizations and jobs. Shanahan has never been shy about his praise for Morris.
Following his hire as head coach for the Falcons before the 2024 season, Shanahan said, “Oh, it’s way past due. Raheem’s one of the best coaches I’ve been with.”
Shanahan continued: “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 D-Coordinator. He ended up becoming a head coach so fast. Then I got a chance to work with him in Washington. Then Atlanta, he actually was on defense.”
The two are very familiar with each other. The chess match between two coaches will be fascinating on Sunday night.
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