The San Francisco 49ers have hired former Carolina Panthers interim Head Coach Steve Wilks as their next defensive coordinator. This move comes after the team’s previous defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans was named the Head Coach of the Houston Texans. Wilks was a finalist for the head coaching job in Carolina, but the team ultimately hired former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Frank Reich for the position. San Francisco has become a hub for coordinators that quickly land jobs as head coaches for other teams. Wilks was credited with turning the Panthers last season as the defensive coordinator and interim Head Coach after the team fired Matt Rhule.
The #49ers plan to hire Steve Wilks as their defensive coordinator, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Wilks replaces DeMeco Ryans, who is now the #Texans’ head coach, and lands in an ideal spot. pic.twitter.com/vyOwVu0QPE
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 7, 2023
In his tenure, as the interim Head Coach, Steve Wilks led the Carolina Panthers to an overall record of 6-6. Wilks was also the Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 and was fired after one year and a 3-13 finish on the season. The defensive-minded coach has a lot of coaching experience and inherits a top-notch defense with the San Francisco 49ers. Many thought he was going to get the job with the Carolina Panthers and when he did not, it seemed fairly obvious he would be moving on to a new franchise.
Steve Wilks likely wants to be an NFL Head Coach again in the NFL after his two incredibly short stints filling the position. San Francisco has a recent and rich history of landing their coordinators in head coaching vacancies. Will Wilks land one of those jobs in the coming years?
