The San Francisco 49ers made a somewhat surprising move shortly after the Super Bowl, firing Steve Wilks from his post as defensive coordinator.
Wilks was highly regarded throughout the season, and many believed he had performed well in his first year with the team.
The 49ers had one of the NFL’s best defenses throughout the regular season, but they ultimately broke down against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
While all of this is true, and that Wilks seemed to be a great addition to the coaching staff, reporter Pat Leonard highlighted a few moments from the title game that might have put the nail in Wilks’ proverbial coffin.
Leonard pointed out Kyle Shanahan’s late timeout in the Super Bowl, which he took to fix one of Wilks’ coverages.
You could see the Steve Wilks firing coming. Kyle Shanahan called a late timeout in the Super Bowl to fix a coverage he didn’t like. And you could see him on headset in last couple games losing his patience with some of the defensive breakdowns #49ers
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) February 14, 2024
Shanahan also seemed impatient with Wilks when things didn’t go according to plan.
At the end of the day, the 49ers front office has drawn a line in the sand.
They are big fans of Shanahan, and like what he has done to improve this team and continue to bring them success throughout the regular season.
Until he makes some major mistakes, he will likely stick around for the long haul, forcing coordinators like Wilks to walk out the door when things don’t go their way.
The 49ers now have a hole at their DC position, one that they would like to fill relatively soon to make sure that person gets familiar with the organization and their roster.
With one of the most complete defensive rosters in the league, this is a desirable opening that will likely not last long.
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