Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris Press Conference

Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris

Press Conference – September 8, 2026

San Francisco 49ers

To speak on the birthday, did the team make it up to you? Did you care that you missed your birthday?

“No, I didn’t. I’ve been missing birthdays for years. Football comes with that, especially when you’re a Virgo and you get into this business. You probably haven’t had a birthday either. We’re always doing something, whether we’re getting ready for the first game, no matter what’s been going on for the last 20 or so years. Obviously, you guys know I’m old because [ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter] Schefty told everybody I’m 50. What a jerk he is, but it is what it is (laughter).”

You won’t be game planning for Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald, but on a personal level, what’s it like to see him come out of retirement?

“Aaron’s like one of the all-time favorite people. If you spent any time around him, like I know you guys have, you know [ESPN reporter] Sarah [Barshop], one of the best people in the world. One of the best football people that you can ever be around. Really special. I wish he’d just stay retired, at least until next week, but you know how I feel about Aaron. We’ve done some special things together. We’ve been around each other a lot. I feel great about him other than when we’ve got to play. I’m not sure which day that is, I just know we going to play him out here.”

Did it surprise you?

“No. I mean, he always stays ready. I used to joke with him and always tell him he’s going to get fat when he retired and he always told me there’s no chance. And he’s right, he’s going to stay in shape, stay ready to go. Obviously the Rams provided an opportunity for him to come back and he made his mind up. After the second or third workout that you guys reported, I figured he was coming back.”

You mentioned a few times with Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay’s offense and that 13 personnel stuff from last year that he’s always trying to be ahead of the curve so that may not even be something. Working with head coach Kyle Shanahan and having him as a sounding board, have you picked Kyle’s brain on what might be the next evolution in this? Is that the kind of conversation you have?

“I think that’s something that you have with both of these guys. Kyle and Sean are always looking for an edge. A couple of years ago, Sean created the edge with the jet sweep and got his run game going. Years before that, Kyle’s been doing it with the 21 personnel and people have kind of evolved and been doing some 21 personnel. Sean went to the 13. So, these guys are always trying to stay ahead. No matter what’s going on, when you’re in practice and you’re preparing and you’re planning for this journey called the season, they’re always going to give you the best of the best. They’re going to give you the best opportunities to go out there and learn and grow every single day, whether they say it or not. If you pay attention, you’ll get it. Usually the trend kind of happened with these two guys and they have for a little while. Obviously, there’s other really great coordinators in this league when you talk about [Denver Broncos head coach] Sean Payton and some of these other guys, but these are two of the best to do it and that’s doing it right now.”

For the Melbourne fans who are coming to watch, what can we expect to see from the San Fran defense? What are we looking to do?

“I don’t think it’s just the San Fran defense. We’re the ultimate team, and I think you’ve got two really good opponents that’s been going together for years. I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum now. And it is going to be fun. It’s going to be fun for you guys to watch. A very physical, well-fought battle by both teams. And I think it’ll be enjoyable for the Aussie fans. They get a chance to watch physical play. They get a chance to watch great players on both sides of the ball, future Hall of Famers. I couldn’t think of a better game to watch if I was in Melbourne, an Aussie.”

How far along is DL Romello Height after missing so much time?

“He came out yesterday and did a nice job of practicing. You guys got a chance to see him. He’s done an amazing thing. I think he missed maybe 10 days. That probably was about five or six practices, whatever the case may be. Feeling really good where he was going, his growth, his development, but at the same time when you prepare for rookies, you prepare for those guys to be able to be in the lineup, be out of the lineup, what it’s like to play in the National Football League. We all know and we expect these guys to know from having the experience in college, but it’s different. These are grown men doing grown men things and we’ll ease them into this thing and get them ready to go.”

What’s your confidence level with DL Nick Bosa being able to play on Friday?

“Nick Bosa is really easy. You watch this guy do it over a span, a long time in his career, been able to do it at different levels. A different question than what we just talked about with Romello where we haven’t seen him do it yet. Bosa knows his body as well as anybody. He’ll be prepared and ready to go as well as anybody, whether it’s from a conversation in point, from meetings, from a conversation in point from what he needs to get ready for his body. Very high confidence level in where he’s going to be.”

As far as that fourth defensive end spot, you seem to have some options with DL Ogbo Okoronkwo on the practice squad and DL Khalid Kareem just joining the team. Are you watching them this week to see which guy you’ll elevate?

“Well, fortunately, two guys that I have a lot of experience with, right? Kareem last year, the last couple of years in Atlanta, and then obviously Ogbo with L.A. Being able to watch those two guys go out there and compete this week and be at a high level, it’s going to be fun. Two guys that I’ve got a lot of confidence in. Two guys that I was fortunate enough to be able to have some say to be able to get here and try to help us. This personnel department does a great job of identifying people that we need when these things happen, so we’re fired up.”

Just to clarify, do you anticipate Nick being out there when you guys play Friday morning?

“Oh, Nick Bosa? Oh, [ESPN reporter] Lindsey [Thiry], he’s going out there. Whatever you want to say, he’s going. He’ll be there. We’re not hiding that.”

How well do you feel you’ve adjusted now that you’ve been here for a few days? Do you think that could play to your favor a little bit, the plans on coming a little earlier

“I don’t think I’m trying to adjust. The game’s at 10. I think I’m trying to wake up and do what you normally do. My days are a little bit longer out here, being in Aussie. Have the ability to wake up, go through the day, have enough energy to be able to get through practice, and then when I get tired, we’ll be getting back on a plane. I think it’s been a great place to be. I think how they’ve taken care of us out here, whether it’s been the food that they’re feeding us, the beautiful hotel that we’re staying in, the convenience of everybody around our building, around our facilities. I can’t say enough positive things about the experience.”

How did you celebrate your 50th? Did you get out to a restaurant or a bar or anywhere?

“I’ll let you know on the plane when we’re taking off (laughter). We did though. We got a chance to get out and see your city. The guys got me some cheesecake. Got a chance to have our first day here and really enjoy that with the coaching staff and a couple of the guys that were there.”

Where is CB Renardo Green in his recovery and getting back out there?

“Renardo will be out there in practice today. We’ll definitely see where he’s at. Obviously, we’ve seen Bosa before we left. We got a chance to see him a little bit throughout the process. We’ll see more of him today, but Renardo’s kind of, I don’t want to say a step behind, but he’s right there in that mix. We’ll get a chance to see him, watch him practice and do some different things as well.”

Same question for S Malik Mustapha.

“Malik’s been out there the last couple of weeks practicing. I shouldn’t say weeks, last couple of days. It feels like weeks. Last couple of days practicing. Obviously, those things will play out as we go and then we’ve still got practice today, practice tomorrow and Friday, and we’ve got a Saturday walk-through. So, these guys got a bunch of time to get there.”

Defensively, what do you feel like you guys need to do to take your team to the next level? Offensively, you’ve recruited pretty well this offseason. What do you feel like you guys need to do to make sure you’re there at the Rams home ground in the Super Bowl?

“You know, that’s way too soon to talk about those things. I know that’s fun for people out there, but for us, it’s just one day at a time. And really, it’s about us, right? It’s going out there, being able to accomplish the things that we need to get done in order to be the best version of ourselves. The season, as we know, is a long season. You’ve got to continue to grow every single week and the ideal plan is to get better and better every single week.”

You mentioned that you already anticipate Nick playing, but how did he get through last week’s practice and then the travel? Were there any effects on his body?

“That’s definitely a Nick question, but Nick’s a pro at everything he does. The ultimate pro. He’s got some calming features to him that really, he’s able to communicate at a very high level, which I’m sure he’s communicating with Kyle. Obviously those guys will handle all those situations right now, but when you talk about me anticipating him being out there, I definitely anticipate that because of who he is and what he’s done and how he’s going about his process to get ready for this.”

What are some of the challenges when it comes to instilling in your defensive backs going up against the likes of Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua and Los Angeles Rams WR Davante Adams, the talent that they have? What are some of those messages that you’re telling them?

“Yeah, let’s just cut to the chase. They’re pain in the asses, right? And you’ve got to go out there and compete. I was around Puka when he got drafted very early. Davante has been a pain in the ass for a very long time in the National Football League for all of us. These guys are well coached, they play the game the right way and it’ll be certainly a big challenge for all of our guys to go out there and play against these guys.”

When you coach and teach your team defense, what’s more important, technique or attitude?

“A little bit of both. It’d be hard to say what’s more important. When you’re on defense, you’ve got the ability to go out there and really play with a certain standard. And our standard is our standard and that will never change as long as Kyle Shanahan is the head coach. And then the other thing, when you’re talking about the technique and things of those, technique and opportunity meet and that’s how you make plays in almost every sport that I’ve ever participated in or coached in or been a part of. So, I think all those things come into play at different levels and different times.”