Report: 49ers hire Steve Wilks as new DC
Feb 7, 2023, 10:30 AM | Updated: 11:47 am
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Steve Wilks of the Carolina Panthers looks on during the second half of the game against the Denver Broncos at Bank of America Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Only a week after seeing DeMeco Ryans join the Houston Texans, the 49ers have found their new man in Steve Wilks.
Reports emerged Tuesday that the San Francisco 49ers will hire Steve Wilks as their new defensive coordinator. The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report the news.
Wilks, 58, served as the interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers in 2022 after the team released Matt Rhule midseason. Going 6-6 as the interim, Wilks and the Panthers met before the team decided to go in a different direction by hiring Frank Reich as their next head coach.
Obviously upset to be passed over, Wilks decided to look for opportunities elsewhere, starting with the 49ers.
From NFL Now: The #49ers spent today interviewing Steve Wilks for their defensive coordinator job, and this makes sense for both parties. pic.twitter.com/xQvr01FalU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 6, 2023
Conducting his interview with the San Francisco brass Monday, the two sides seemed destined for a partnership after “lengthy” discussions, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
After losing their second defensive coordinator in three seasons, the 49ers stated that they would take a calculated approach to the next DC. Coming out of 2022 with the best unit in the NFL, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were looking for continuity with their next hire.
“I love our defensive staff, I love our defense. I’m trying to get something where we don’t have to turn much over,” Shanahan said last Wednesday. “I would love to keep our same staff, so I’m going to talk to some guys on our staff. I’m going to talk to some guys outside of our staff and hopefully whichever way we decide to go, whether we bring in a new guy or not, that it’s someone who can work with who we have and what we’ve accomplished here because I love the scheme that we run and I feel the foundation we have on the D-line, at linebacker, at corner, at safety, I think our players fit very well in it too, so I’m hoping to find someone who fits with us personality-wise and scheme wise.”
Familiar with a 4-3 defensive scheme, Wilks will bring his hardened leadership qualities to a 49ers’ locker room primed for another deep postseason run in 2023.
Coach Steve Wilks is a leader of men…
Shaq Thompson as he hands Wilks the game ball: This was a crazy season, what we went through & how we bounced back… I’ve never seen a group of men play for each other & play for this coach…
Hopefully this man becomes the #49ers next DC pic.twitter.com/9RkDt6T5J2
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) February 6, 2023
The 49ers also spoke with Vic Fangio and the Commanders’ defensive backs coach Chris Harris for the DC position. Internally, San Francisco was looking at the option of promoting defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, but he will remain at his current post next season.
