BREAKING NEWS : After just one season, 49ers D-coordinator Steve Wilks is fired…..

INSANITY, California Steve Wilks has left his position as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers after just one season.

Coach Kyle Shanahan of the Niners stated, “This morning I relieved Steve Wilks of his duties,” during a conference call on Wednesday that was planned only ten minutes in advance. We’re going to switch around at defensive coordinator in the end. It was a really difficult choice to make because it speaks very little about Steve’s character as a man or as a football coach. He’s just the kind of man we’ve always wanted, really. He coaches football really well.

“But just where we’re going and where we’re at with our team from a scheme standpoint and things like that, looking through it all throughout the year to these last few days, I felt pretty strongly that this was a decision that was best for the organization.”

On Tuesday, Shanahan largely sidestepped inquiries on Wilks’ potential two-season extension as defensive coordinator. While he acknowledged that he needed more time to process his thoughts toward his workers, he did state that he anticipated seeing the majority of them return.

By Wednesday AM, Shanahan claimed to have come to the realization that “going a different direction” was “something that I have to do.”

There were ups and downs for the defense during Wilks’ one and only season with the Niners. Under DeMeco Ryans, a team that led the NFL in 2022 in a number of categories—including fewest points allowed per game (16.3) and defensive anticipated points added (89.58)—regressed in 2023.

Although the 49ers were ninth in defensive EPA (41.48) and caused major leaks against the run in the postseason, allowing the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs to average 5.1 yards per carry and 149.3 yards per game, San Francisco still finished third in points allowed (17.5) this season.