49ers dismiss Steve Wilks in aftermath of Super Bowl LVIII loss to Chiefs

SANTA CLARA – Coach Kyle Shanahan is moving on to his fourth defensive coordinator in five years, announcing Wednesday that Steve Wilks is out after one season.

Wilks was hired a year ago to replace DeMeco Ryans, who left to become the Houston Texans’ coach after two seasons as the defensive coordinator. Ryans replaced Robert Saleh, who was Shanahan’s initial defensive coordinator and just finished his third season as the New York Jets’ coach.

“Once I realized a different direction was best, it’s what I had to do,” Shanahan said on a media conference call, an hour after relieving Wilks of his role.

Shanahan said a successor will be chosen from candidates both internally and externally. Shanahan said all remaining defensive assistants will “have a chance,” and among them are Kris Kocurek (defensive line), Daniel Bullocks (secondary) and Johnny Holland (linebackers).

Wilks came aboard after serving as the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator then interim coach last year. His 49ers’ tenure seemed in jeopardy by midseason, when Shanahan had him move from the coaches’ booth to the sideline after a three-game losing streak.

Wilks’ firing comes three days after Super Bowl LVIII, where the 49ers allowed a game-winning touchdown drive in overtime of their 25-22 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Shanahan did not give Wilks a glowing endorsement in Tuesday’s year-end press conference but said he still needed to talk to him. That conversation went down Wednesday morning.

“He’s done a great job with that back end (the secondary),” defensive end Nick Bosa said Tuesday, before adding:  “Obviously we had some issues this year throughout the year but that’s part of a full NFL season. We were playing our best ball at the end of the end.”