The San Francisco 49ers are looking for another defensive coordinator. Head coach Kyler Shanahan announced in a conference call that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks will not be returning in 2024.
Wilks was the Niners’ defensive coordinator for one season.
Wilks replaced DeMeco Ryans, who after two seasons as DC for San Francisco was hired to be the head coach of the Houston Texans.
The Niners’ two previous defensive coordinators — Ryans and Robert Saleh — landed head coaching jobs.
Wilks was hoping to do the same.
The 49ers were eighth in the league in total defense (303.9 ypg), third in rush defense (89.7 ypg) and third in scoring defense (17.5 ppg).
However, things fell apart defensively starting with their last game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Beginning with the game against Arizona in Week 15, they allowed 136.4 rushing yards per game in seven games including the postseason and 149.3 rushing yards per game in the postseason.
They allowed 24.2 points in their final seven games including the postseason.
As good as they were for three quarters of the regular season defensively, they were pretty pedestrian in the postseason.
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