The San Francisco 49ers have parted ways with defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, just three days after their crushing defeat in Super Bowl LVIII. The move comes as a surprise, as head coach Kyle Shanahan had expressed confidence in his coaching staff on Tuesday.
Wilks, who joined the 49ers last year after a brief stint as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach, failed to live up to expectations in his role. The 49ers’ defense ranked 25th in yards allowed, 28th in points allowed, and 31st in turnovers forced. They also gave up 31 points and 397 yards to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, including 21 points in the final quarter.
Shanahan said he appreciated Wilks’ efforts, but felt the need for a change. “Steve is a great person and a good coach, but we didn’t get the results we wanted on defense,” Shanahan said. “We have to improve in that area, and we felt this was the best decision for our team moving forward.”
The 49ers will begin their search for a new defensive coordinator immediately. Some of the potential candidates include former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, who worked with Shanahan in Atlanta, former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who has ties to general manager John Lynch, and current 49ers linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans, who is considered a rising star in the coaching ranks.
