Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that the Chargers are requesting an interview with 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks for their head-coaching job.
The expectation has been that the Chargers would try to find an offensive-focused head coach this time around after things didn’t go so well with former defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
However, it appears as though Los Angeles is still open to hiring another defensive coordinator as head coach.
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.
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