The San Francisco 49ers are in search of a new defensive coordinator now that Demeco Ryans is set to become the Houston Texans’ next head coach. Kyle Shanahan is pulling no punches after San Francisco was defeated in the NFC Championship Game by the Philadelphia Eagles, as the 49ers’ head coach is reportedly looking into a big name to replace Ryans with.
“The 49ers requested permission to speak to Steve Wilks for their defensive coordinator position, source says,” NFL insider Mike Garfolo of NFL Network wrote in a tweet. He’s still under contract with the Panthers.”
The #49ers requested permission to speak to Steve Wilks for their defensive coordinator position, source says. He’s still under contract with the #Panthers.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 31, 2023
Wilks served as the Carolina Panthers’ interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired. After a 1-4 start, Carolina finished the season at 7-10, just narrowly missing the playoffs. Considering the situation, Wilks did an admirable job in getting the Panthers to play .500 football and while he did have the support of the locker room, it was former Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich who ended up getting the permanent gig, though Wilks was considered.
Wilks is a very familiar defensive coach in NFL circles. Prior to his latest stint with the Panthers, he served as defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in 2019 after one year as a head coach with the Arizona Cardinals. Prior to that, he was with Carolina for five seasons, so it would’ve been meaningful for him to get a full-time job.
One of Shanahan’s assistants has now gotten a head coaching job the past three offseasons. If Wilks does end up in San Francisco, could he possibly be next in line?
