Shanahan Credits Morris for Aggressive 49ers Defense in 2026

San Francisco's defensive resurgence has given the undefeated 49ers another strength early in the 2026 NFL season, with head coach Kyle Shanahan crediting new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris for introducing a more aggressive approach. The adjustment has helped the team maintain strong scoring defense despite injuries along the defensive line, according to Shanahan's interview with NBC Sports Bay Area.

The 49ers entered their upcoming matchup against the Seattle Seahawks with a 4-0 record and ranked third in the NFL in points allowed, according to reporting published by Yahoo Sports on October 11, 2026. Morris has emphasized more aggressive coverage and greater flexibility in defensive formations, allowing San Francisco to increase its use of blitzes.

Shanahan explained that the team's previous defensive approach relied heavily on a four-man front. Morris has diversified those looks by alternating between four- and five-man fronts, changing how the defense handles coverage responsibilities and pressures opposing quarterbacks.

"We always had a very similar scheme where we were always playing four down. When you do that, it's a very 'bend but don't break' defense. When you mix up four down and five down, you can't always count on a hook linebacker," Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco.

The coaching change follows several seasons in which San Francisco struggled to consistently stop the run and pressure quarterbacks. The team recorded just 20 sacks last season, the fewest in the NFL, while its six sacks early in the 2026 campaign placed it 26th in the league, according to Yahoo Sports. Injuries have limited the defensive line's personnel options.

Despite those challenges, Shanahan said Morris has encouraged defenders to play more assertively, particularly in coverage. That approach has created additional opportunities for the coaching staff to send extra rushers after opposing quarterbacks.

"Raheem's had to be so much more aggressive with how he coaches these guys," Shanahan said. "To me, it's really worked for him because they've been so much more aggressive in coverage. Now we can blitz more."

Morris arrived in San Francisco after serving as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for the previous two seasons. His earlier experience includes coordinating the Falcons' defense during part of the 2020 season and leading the Los Angeles Rams' defense from 2021 through 2023, a period that culminated in a Super Bowl championship.

Shanahan also praised Morris for adapting to significant personnel absences, including defensive linemen Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, James Thompson Jr. and Alfred Collins, according to NFL Trade Rumors' October 4 report.

"I think he's done a great job," Shanahan said, according to 49ersWire. "He's been mixing it up in all three of these games. He's had a ton of challenges, just with some of the guys he's been missing, especially when you miss that many at one position, just being with the D-Line.

He's been awesome since the day he got here. He brings a lot of energy to the group and gets those guys to play the right way and I think he's also done a hell of a job schematically."

The defensive changes face a significant test against Seattle, the defending NFL champion, at Lumen Field. The Seahawks feature quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, giving San Francisco a demanding matchup as it attempts to preserve its unbeaten start.