49ers fire D-coordinator Steve Wilks after one season

The 49ers have fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday.

5 comments

I thought his defense definitely underperformed this year for the talent he had to work with. But in the Super Bowl the defense I thought did an okay job. Shut down the Chiefs for a lot of the game until Greenlaw’s freak injury. Then the missed XP and muffed punt really killed us.

But yeah we should be able to get a new DC whose scheme better matches our personnel. Hopefully we already had someone in mind before making this move.
I didn't think he was terrible, but the defense was a little inconsistent throughout the season. His temperament was SO even, it almost seemed like he didn't fit with the team culture. It's like a night and day difference between Wilks and Ryans/Saleh.

So who's next? I know it's unlikely, but how great would it be if we could convince Belichick?
- Yeah, he was okay, but it definitely felt like the defense wasn't playing up to its potential with him. Man...Belichick and Shanahan would kill each other haha. But if they could hold it together for a season or two...but I dream.
- Yeah, agreed about his temperment. I don't know enough about the inner workings of the team, but I did notice that the early part of the season he called the game from up in the booth. When he switched to the sideline in the later half of the season, the defense seemed to perk up.
  
  Yeah... I think Shanahan basically called him out in a press conference after the Bengals loss, and the next week he was down on the field.