49ers fire defensive coordinator Steve Wilks in wake of Super Bowl LVIII loss [View all]

The San Francisco 49ers have fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday, three days after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

The team will look inside and outside the organization for Wilks' replacement. The decision to part with Wilks was foreshadowed Tuesday when Shanahan declined to answer affirmatively when asked if Wilks would return for a second season with the team in 2024.

The 49ers allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL and ranked eighth in yards allowed. But they led the league in both categories in 2022 and there was an expectation they could be even more dominant after adding Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to their intact star-studded core in the offseason.

Before the 49ers’ defensive performance dipped in the playoffs, Shanahan asked Wilks at midseason to move from the coach’s box to the sideline to call plays. The move came a few weeks after Shanahan publicly criticized Wilks for an all-out blitz call with 16 seconds left before halftime that led to a 60-yard touchdown pass in a 22-17 loss at Minnesota on Oct. 23.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/49ers/article/49ers-fire-defensive-coordinator-steve-wilks-18667222.php