SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- With a history that dates to their formative years as young Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistants, a reunion between San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris always seemed inevitable.
Shanahan wanted to hire Morris when he took over the Niners in 2017, a move that was blocked by the Atlanta Falcons. Despite that, Shanahan's desire to work again with Morris became stronger after Morris helped the rival Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl LVI.
"I've been with him a number of places, which has always helped," Shanahan said. "That's why I respect him so much as a coach, as a person. But I think the most [impressive thing] with Raheem is going against him at the Rams. I've been with him where he's done different defenses... Raheem came in, did his scheme similar to [Brandon] Staley's completely, I thought added to it though, did some different things and kind of made of its own."