The San Francisco 49ers lost their star defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to the Houston Texans this offseason.
So they were in the market to find a new defensive coordinator with plenty of experience.
Luckily for them, Steve Wilks was not given the Carolina Panthers job, and he was on the open market.
The 49ers and Wilks agreed to a deal to make him the team’s next defensive coordinator.
Wilks spent last season as the DC in Carolina, before taking over as interim head coach when the Panthers fired Matt Rhule.
Despite coaching a team that appeared to be tanking, Wilks had the Panthers playing very well.
He was the head coach for 12 games with the team, he led them to a record of 6-6, and was in contention for the NFC South title.
It might not be long until he gets another shot at head coach.
The last two #49ers DCs have ended up as head coaches — Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans. Will Steve Wilks be next? https://t.co/99TyFU726W
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 7, 2023
The 49ers have had one of the best defenses in the NFL for some time now.
So it should not be a surprise that their defensive coordinators are getting head coaching positions.
Wilks was already a head coach for one season in 2018.
He took over the Arizona Cardinals, and it was a complete disaster.
The Cardinals finished 3-13 that year, and Wilks was not brought back for a second season.
Some teams may be hesitant to hire him after that, but the Cardinals did not have a good roster.
Wilks will be working with some elite defensive players on the 49ers.
So there is no excuse for them to be a great defense again in 2023.
But, Wilks is in the perfect spot to get another head coaching job.
He just needs to prove he can coach one of the best defenses in the NFL.
NEXT: NFL World Reacts To The Steve Wilks Hire
