Chargers Complete Interview With 49ers DC Steve Wilks

The Chargers announced that they have completed a virtual interview with 49ers DC Steve Wilks for their vacant head coaching position. 

Wilks has been a very solid coordinator over the years in Carolina and San Francisco and has prior head-coaching experience with Arizona. 

Wilks, 54, began his NFL coaching career with the Bears as their defensive backs coach back in 2006. He spent two years with the Chargers before following Ron Rivera to Carolina as their defensive backs coach.

The Panthers promoted him to assistant head coach in 2015 and then to defensive coordinator last year after Sean McDermott took the Bills’ job. Wilks agreed to become the Cardinals’ head coach in 2018 but he was fired after one season.

Wilks took over as the Browns’ defensive coordinator in 2019. He was not retained in 2020 under a new staff, though he interviewed for the DC position. Wilks had a stint with Missouri as their defensive coordinator before returning to the NFL with the Panthers this offseason as their secondary coach.

However, he was promoted to interim head coach following the firing of Matt Rhule. The 49ers would later hire him as their defensive coordinator for the 2023 season. 

In 2023, the 49ers defense ranked No. 2 in fewest yards allowed, No. 3 in fewest points allowed, No. 3 in fewest rushing yards allowed and No. 4 in fewest passing yards allowed.

We will have more news on both Wilks and the Chargers as it becomes available.