Offseason NFL/Team connection Talk - Article: Could Steve Wilks be in danger of being replaced by the 49ers?

[WarPanthers89]

Article:

When asked about defensive coordinator Steve Wilks returning for 2025, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t provide a clear, unequivocal, unconditional response. And that might have happened for a reason.

As explained by Tim Kawakami of TheAthletic.com, Wilks could be in jeopardy — if the 49ers believe they can find an upgrade.

Kawakami notes that the 49ers gave up, on average, 149 rushing yards in their three postseason games.

“That’s not the way Shanahan and Lynch want things to go in the biggest games,” Kawakami writes. “That’s not how the 49ers are built to play. They’re supposed to win games with physicality, yet they got outrushed in all three of their playoff games.”

Again, it all comes down to who they could get. Perhaps, as Kawakami points out, Wilks will get another year and, if it doesn’t work in New York in 2024, Robert Saleh could be available to return for 2025.

Regardless, when Shanahan is asked whether Wilks will be back next year and the first thing out of his mouth isn’t “hell yes” but "“I haven’t talked to anybody yet,” that’s cause for paying attention to what happens in the coming days.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/could-steve-wilks-be-in-danger-of-being-replaced-by-the-49ers

Edited February 14 by WarPanthers89

[Khaki Lackey]

But he's a leader of men!!!!!

[CRA]

teams love a good scapegoat.  I mean, I think Wilks IMO is an NFL average DC.  

But the D held Mahomes to 3 points in the first half.  19 in regulation.  They didn't lose the game because of the defense.  

[frankw]

Stuff like this is why I can't stand the 49ers and particularly Kyle Shanahan. What a slimey choke artist.

Say what you will about Wilks I do think he is pretty much average as a DC. But he doesn't coach offense there and he can't turn Brock Purdy into Joe Burrow. He always faced an uphill battle containing a now 3 time Super Bowl champion quarterback when the offensive side of the ball is predicated on Christian McCaffrey having a career day more often than not.

[WarPanthers89]

29 minutes ago, CRA said:

teams love a good scapegoat.  I mean, I think Wilks IMO is an NFL average DC.  

But the D held Mahomes to 3 points in the first half.  19 in regulation.  They didn't lose the game because of the defense.  

Very true and excellent point. Holding Mahomes to 19 is an accomplishment. It’s not his fault they couldn’t run the ball at all in Q3

[NCBlu]

They didn't lose because of the D they lost because the O stopped running the ball in the 3rd and went pass happy like the last time the HC was in a SB. Guess you have to blame someone and can't just say I messed up on O..

[strato]

I only speed watched a condensed version. Just watching the game sort of out of duty. My takeaway was there were a couple of key fugups by a couple of players but overall I thought SF defense played well.

There at the end Kelce started hurting them; they controlled him fairly well overall, to the point it looked like Purdy forgot about him. I’d have to go back and look for it to focus on his game in particular but Wilks could have been playing the don’t let Kelce beat you game. Until late. 

 I guess I totally missed the stuff on the sidelines with Kelce fwiw. Haven’t even read an account of the game, maybe I am easier on them than a lot of people. They aren’t my team I am not much invested. 

They are probably sick over the many plays they could have made to earn a different outcome.

 

Edited February 14 by strato

[CRA]

30 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

Very true and excellent point. Holding Mahomes to 19 is an accomplishment. It’s not his fault they couldn’t run the ball at all in Q3

D also opened up the 2nd half with an INT in KC territory.  Best possible start to the 2nd half you could of asked for.  Zero points off it.  3 and out next drive.  Eventually, KC was going to find SOME success.  That's not on Wilks. 

[BrianS]

31 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

Very true and excellent point. Holding Mahomes to 19 is an accomplishment. It’s not his fault they couldn’t run the ball at all in Q3

Accomplishment?  Let's not get carried away.  The Chiefs only averaged 21.3 points per game in the regular season, and 23.8 in the playoffs.  Pretty much just held serve.

Wilks is about average.  The DC on the other side, now there's a dude.

[The Natural]

This fanbase has put Steve Wilks up on a crazy high pedestal. He's completely average as a coach and it has been proven time and time again. You could do worse but you could certainly do better.

[WarPanthers89]

12 minutes ago, BrianS said:

Accomplishment?  Let's not get carried away.  The Chiefs only averaged 21.3 points per game in the regular season, and 23.8 in the playoffs.  Pretty much just held serve.

Wilks is about average.  The DC on the other side, now there's a dude.

lol yeah holding Mahomes in the Super Bowl to 19 points in regulation is an accomplishment and should be enough to win you the game. In today’s NFl, holding anyone to 19 points should be good enough, much less one of the best to ever play the game. Up until the final 2 minutes they held them to 16 points, and don’t get me started on how many opportunities the 49ers gave the chiefs to score in the 2nd half due to horrific play calling and abandoning the run game in the 3rd quarter.

[CRA]

3 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

lol yeah holding Mahomes in the Super Bowl to 19 points in regulation is an accomplishment and should be enough to win you the game. In today’s NFl, holding anyone to 19 points should be good enough, much less one of the best to ever play the game. Up until the final 2 minutes they held them to 16 points, and don’t get me started on how many opportunities the 49ers gave the chiefs to score in the 2nd half due to horrific play calling and abandoning the run game in the 3rd quarter.

KC had only 6 points after 9 offensive possessions vs the 49ers.  For example, KC had a total of 9 offensive possessions all game vs Buffalo. 

The following IMO is the game.  This is exactly when they lost. 

Biggest issue was the O imploded in the 3rd.   59 second drive off clock despite an INT in KC territory.  1:43 off the clock the 2nd drive..  Only 1:02 off the clock on the 3rd drive.  Then you lose your 4th drive with a muff punt and tell Mahomes to go 19 yards.  None of that is Wilks.  That's O and a little ST with the losing icing on that cake. 

[DJ feed me moore]

 

Fired LMAO!!!!!!

[OneBadCat]

I don’t see how you can blame the SB on Wilks. The whole squad set themselves up perfectly to win it up until the muffed punt. Thats what cost them the game .