The San Francisco 49ers were disappointed with their defense's performance in Super Bowl LVIII and showed defensive coordinator Steve Wilks the outcome.
The NFL Network learned this on Wednesday, three days after the 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wilks' time with the Niners only lasted one season. He was hired before the start of the 2023 season to replace DeMeco Ryans, who had been hired by the Houston Texans as a pilot.
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In a press conference, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said it was a tough decision, but Wilks' system doesn't fit what his team has done before.
“We're committed not only to a system, but to the players that are in the system, whether it's our defensive linemen or our linebackers who have been there for so long,” Shanahan said.
“My goal was to not change the way they do things while hiring Steve, who was incredible, loyal and hard-working. However, it wasn't the right choice. It hurts me to do this, but I had to do it.”
The 49ers' defense was outstanding in the first half of Super Bowl LVIII, holding the Chiefs to just three points. However, it was less effective in the second half of the game and in overtime, allowing Patrick Mahomes and his gang to score 22 points.
In 2022, the San Francisco club's defensive unit ranked first in the NFL in yards and points allowed in the regular season. In 2023, she placed ninth and third in these categories, respectively.