Former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks was not unemployed for long.
The San Francisco 49ers plan to hire Wilks to be their next defensive coordinator after DeMeco Ryans was named the head coach of the Houston Texans last week, according to NFL Network.
Wilks will take over a defense that was ranked first in the NFL in points allowed (16.3) and yards (300.6) per game during the 2022 season.
The move comes nearly two weeks after Wilks was passed over for the head coaching position in Carolina when the Panthers tabbed Frank Reich to lead the organization.
Wilks began the 2022 season as the passing game coordinator and secondary coach under head coach Matt Rhule.
When Rhule was fired after a 1-4 start, Wilks took over the team on an interim basis, going 6-6 as head coach and putting the Panthers in playoff contention at the end of the year.
While several Panthers’ players expressed their support for Wilks to get the full-time job, Carolina went with Reich, an offensive mind, over Wilks.
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Following the hire, Wilks’ lawyers released a statement slamming the NFL for having a “legitimate race problem.”
“We are shocked and disturbed that after the incredible job Coach Wilks did as the interim coach, including bringing the team back into Playoff contention and garnering the support of the players and fans, that he was passed over for the Head Coach position by [CEO] David Tepper,” Wigdor LLP said in a statement obtained Fox News Digital.
“There is a legitimate race problem in the NFL, and we can assure you that we will have more to say in the coming days.”
Wilks released his own statement the following day, saying he was “disappointed but not defeated” and wishing Reich the best in Carolina.
The past two defensive coordinators in San Francisco have become head coaches in the NFL. Robert Saleh was hired by the New York Jets in 2021 after calling the 49ers defense for three years.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report
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