Steve Wilks

Last updated

Steve Wilks
BB1ilfOX (cropped).jpg
Wilks with the 49ers in 2024
Personal information
Born: (1969-08-08) August 8, 1969 (age 55)
Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Career information
High school: West Charlotte (NC)
College: Appalachian State
Position: Defensive coordinator
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
Head coaching record
Regular season:NCAA: 5–6 (.455)
NFL: 9–19 (.321)
Record  at Pro Football Reference

Steven Bernard Wilks (born August 8, 1969) is an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). A defensive assistant for most of his career, he was the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for the Carolina Panthers when they reached Super Bowl 50 and the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers when they reached Super Bowl LVIII. Wilks was also the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 and the interim head coach of the Panthers in 2022.

Contents

Early life and playing career

Wilks was born in Charlotte and attended West Charlotte High School. [1] He played defensive back from 1987 to 1991 at Appalachian State. [2]

Wilks played one year (1993) in the Arena Football League for the Charlotte Rage as a wide receiver, defensive back, and kick returner. [3]

Coaching career

College

Wilks served as the head coach at Savannah State College for one season (1999) and compiled a record of 5–6. [4] He coached college-level football until 2005.

Chicago Bears

On February 16, 2006, Wilks was hired by the Chicago Bears as defensive backs coach. [2] On December 30, 2008, the Bears announced that they had fired Wilks. [5]

San Diego Chargers

Wilks was hired as defensive backs coach of the San Diego Chargers in 2009. He worked under former Bears defensive coordinator and then-Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, with Rivera promoted from defensive backs coach. [6]

Carolina Panthers (first stint)

When Rivera became head coach of the Panthers, he hired Wilks as secondary coach on January 15, 2012. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 2015. [7] He was Pro Football Focus' second runner up to their Secondary Coach of the Year award. [8]

In the 2015 season, Wilks and the Panthers finished 15–1 and reached Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016. The Panthers fell to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24–10. [9]

After defensive coordinator Sean McDermott left to become head coach of the Buffalo Bills, Wilks was promoted to McDermott's former position. [10]

After the 2017 season, Wilks was an extremely hot commodity for teams in need of new head coaches. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, teams were impressed by Wilks' interview with the Los Angeles Rams in the previous offseason before they eventually hired Sean McVay. Wilks also interviewed with the New York Giants, who had hired David Gettleman as general manager. [11] Gettleman previously served as general manager for the Panthers.

Arizona Cardinals

On January 22, 2018, Wilks was hired as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, replacing Bruce Arians. [12] In the 2018 season opener against the Washington Redskins, Wilks made his head coaching debut with a 24–6 loss. [13] In Week 5, against the San Francisco 49ers, he recorded his first NFL victory as a head coach. [14] He finished coaching the season with a league-worst 3–13 record, the worst record for the Cardinals since 2000. [15] On December 31, 2018, the Cardinals fired Wilks. [16]

Cleveland Browns

On January 14, 2019, Wilks was hired by the Cleveland Browns to be their defensive coordinator under head coach Freddie Kitchens. [17] He was not retained for the 2020 season under new head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Missouri

On January 21, 2021, after 13 seasons with the NFL, Wilks returned to college football. He was hired by the University of Missouri as their defensive coordinator under head coach Eliah Drinkwitz. [18]

Carolina Panthers (second stint)

On February 9, 2022, Wilks returned to the NFL and to the Carolina Panthers, who announced the hiring of Wilks as Matt Rhule's new defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach. [19] On October 10, 2022, after Rhule was fired, Wilks was named the Panthers' interim head coach for the remainder of the season. [20] Wilks led Carolina to a 6–6 record over the season's remaining 12 weeks, but was passed over for the permanent head coaching position in favor of Frank Reich.

San Francisco 49ers

On February 9, 2023, it was reported that the San Francisco 49ers hired Wilks as their defensive coordinator. [21] During the 2023 NFL Combine, 49ers' general manager John Lynch confirmed that Wilks was hired as their defensive coordinator. [22] On February 14, 2024, he was fired following their loss in Super Bowl LVIII, following a season of inconsistency on defense. [23]

In August 2024, Wilks became a volunteer advisor for the Charlotte 49ers football team. [24]

Head coaching record

College

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Savannah State Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)(1999)
1999 Savannah State5–63–4
Savannah State:5–63–4
Total:5–6

NFL

TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
ARI 2018 3130.1884th in NFC West––––
ARI total3130.188–––––
CAR* 2022 660.5002nd in NFC South––––
CAR total660.500–––––
Total9190.32100.000

* – Interim head coach

Personal life

Wilks is a Christian. [25] He is married to Marcia Wilks. They have two daughters and one son. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Panthers</span> National Football League franchise in Charlotte, North Carolina

The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The team is headquartered in Bank of America Stadium in Uptown Charlotte, which also serves as the team's home field. The Panthers are supported throughout the Carolinas; although the team has played its home games in Charlotte since 1996, it played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, during its first season in 1995.

George Gerald Seifert is an American former football coach. He served as the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Seifert owned the second-greatest winning percentage in NFL history by a head coach at the time of his resignation as the 49ers head coach, second to Guy Chamberlin. Among coaches with at least 100 wins, his winning percentage is fifth best in football history.

Brentson André Buckner is an American professional football coach and former defensive tackle who most recently was the defensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Pasqualoni</span> American football player and coach (born 1949)

Paul Lucian Pasqualoni is an American football coach for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He most recently was the defensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Fox (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1955)

John Fox is an American football coach and former player who previously was a senior defensive assistant for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers (2002–2010), Denver Broncos (2011–2014) and Chicago Bears (2015–2017) of the National Football League (NFL). He coached the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII and the Broncos to Super Bowl XLVIII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Davis (American football coach)</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Bill Davis is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL).

This article details the history of the Arizona Cardinals American football club, which can be traced to the 1898 formation of the amateur Morgan Athletic Club in Chicago. The Cardinals are the oldest extant professional football club in the United States, and along with the Chicago Bears, are one of two charter members of the National Football League still in existence. The franchise moved from Chicago to St. Louis in 1960 and to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1988.

The Carolina Panthers' history formally dates back to 1993, when the NFL awarded the franchise to Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, began play in the 1995 NFL season as expansion teams. They have played in Charlotte since 1996, winning six division titles and two NFC Championships. The Panthers were the first NFL franchise based in the Carolinas and the second professional sports team based in Charlotte, the first being the NBA's Charlotte Hornets.

Isaiah "Mike" Caldwell, Jr. is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach & run game coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2022 to 2023. After the entire Jacksonville defensive staff was fired in early 2024, he joined the Las Vegas Raiders as their linebackers coach and run game coordinator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic Fangio</span> American football coach

Victor Mick Fangio is an American football coach who serves as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). Fangio also recently served as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. A 41-year coaching veteran with 33 seasons of NFL experience, Fangio was a defensive coordinator for 20 of the last 24 seasons at the NFL or college level before becoming the Broncos' head coach. He served as the Chicago Bears' defensive coordinator after leading the defenses for the San Francisco 49ers, Stanford University, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers.

Steve Russ is an American football coach and former professional linebacker who is currently a special assistant to the head coach for the Air Force Falcons football team. He played college football as a linebacker for Air Force before being drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 1995 NFL draft. He also played for the Los Angeles Xtreme in the original XFL and has been a coach since 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Holcomb</span> American football coach (born 1970)

Al Holcomb is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the interim defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Rhule</span> American football player and coach (born 1975)

Matthew Kenneth Rhule is an American college football coach and former linebacker. He is the head football coach for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, a position he has held since 2023. He was also the head football coach for Temple University from 2013 to 2016, Baylor University from 2017 to 2019, and the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Rhule played linebacker at Penn State from 1994 to 1997.

James Bettcher is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants.

Eric Washington is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills following experience as the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears.

Jeff Rodgers is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as a coach for the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers.

Ejiro Evero is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Carolina Panthers season</span> 28th season in franchise history

The 2022 season was the Carolina Panthers' 28th in the National Football League (NFL) and their third and final season under head coach Matt Rhule. They attempted to improve on their 5–12 record from last season and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season. After a 1–4 start from the team, the Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule, along with defensive coordinator Phil Snow. Rhule was replaced with defensive passing game coordinator Steve Wilks, who served as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. After a Week 16 win against the Detroit Lions, they improved on their 5 win total from the previous 3 years. However, they were eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth straight year when they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the following week.

References

  1. ↑ Stone, Augusta (October 11, 2022). "Five things to know about Steve Wilks". Carolina Panthers. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Chicago Bears". Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
  3. ↑ "Steve Wilks". ArenaFan.com. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Steve Wilks Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  5. ↑ Biggs, Brad (December 30, 2008). "Bears make coaching move". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009.
  6. ↑ Cox, Seth (January 22, 2018). "Steve Wilks will bring a different, yet more aggressive defensive style to the desert". Revenge of the Birds. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  7. ↑ Urban, Darren (January 23, 2018). "Steve Wilks: "You Guys Made The Right Decision"". Arizona Cardinals. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  8. ↑ "PFF News & Analysis | PFF".
  9. ↑ "Super Bowl 50 - Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers - February 7th, 2016". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Sean McDermott hired as Buffalo Bills' new head coach". NFL.com. January 11, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Giants interview Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks". Giants.com. January 9, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  12. ↑ Urban, Darren (January 22, 2018). "Steve Wilks Named New Cardinals Head Coach". Arizona Cardinals. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  13. ↑ Marshall, John (September 10, 2018). "Cardinals routed 24-6 by Redskins in Wilks' debut". AP News. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  14. ↑ Urban, Darren (October 8, 2018). "There's One: Cardinals Get Just Enough In Win Over 49ers". Arizona Cardinals. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Chicago/St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals Team Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  16. ↑ Patra, Kevin (December 31, 2018). "Steve Wilks fired by Cardinals after one year with team". NFL.com. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Browns add Todd Monken and Steve Wilks as coordinators". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 14, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  18. ↑ Rittenberg, Adam (January 21, 2021). "Source: Mizzou hires ex-NFL coach Wilks as DC". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  19. ↑ Gantt, Darin (February 9, 2022). "Panthers bring back Steve Wilks". Panthers.com. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  20. ↑ Callihan, Schuyler (October 10, 2022). "BREAKING: Panthers Fire Matt Rhule". Sports Illustrated Carolina Panthers News, Analysis and More. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  21. ↑ Edholm, Eric (February 7, 2023). "49ers hire former Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks as new defensive coordinator". NFL.com. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  22. ↑ "49ers Hire Defensive Coordinator, Announce Other Coaching Staff Hires". 49ers.com. March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  23. ↑ Inman, Cam (February 14, 2024). "49ers fire defensive coordinator Steve Wilks in aftermath of Super Bowl LVIII loss". The Mercury News. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  24. ↑ https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/charlotte-49ers/article290692779.html
  25. ↑ Mercer, Kevin (November 16, 2022). "Charlotte native Steve Wilks thankful to God to be Panthers interim head coach". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Steve Wilks" . Retrieved November 18, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.