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Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Coach Kyle Shanahan believes there was an issue with Steve Wilks fitting the San Francisco 49ers' defensive scheme, he told reporters, when announcing his decision to fire the defensive coordinator. Shanahan announced the dismissal Wednesday during a conference call. The 49ers hired Wilks last off-season after defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans left to become head coach of the Houston Texans.
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The 49ers allowed the eighth-fewest yards and third-fewest points in the NFL in 2023-24. They had the third-best run defense and 14th-best pass defense. The 49ers tied for the league lead in defensive interceptions.
The 49ers' defense surrendered just 16 yards in the first quarter of Super Bowl LVIII, before allowing the Kansas City Chiefs to total nearly 450 yards for the remainder of the San Francisco overtime loss Sunday in Las Vegas.
"Just where we're going and where we're at with our team from a scheme standpoint and things like that, looking through it all throughout the year to these last few days, I felt pretty strongly that this was a decision that was best for the organization," Shanahan said.
Shanahan said the decision was one he "didn't want to make. He said he realized that a "different direction is what's best" for the organization.
"It was real tough losing DeMeco," Shanahan said of his former defensive coordinator. "It was tough losing [former defensive coordinator] Robert Saleh the year before. We had committed to not just the system, but the players that had been in the system, from our D-line or linebackers. They had played in it for such a long time.
"It was my goal to not have to change all of them, and bringing in Steve, who was unbelievable how loyal he was and him trying to do it, but it just ended up not being the right fit. And it hurt for me to do this, but that's exactly why I had to."
Shanahan said the 49ers will include internal and external candidates during a search for their new defensive coordinator.
The 49ers allowed the fewest yards and points in 2022-23 under Ryans. They allowed the third-fewest yards in 2021-22 under him.
Saleh was the 49ers' defensive coordinator from 2017 through 2020, before being hired to coach the New York Jets. The 49ers were a Top 5 defense in his final two seasons.
Shanahan confirmed that several coaches from the 49ers' 2023-24 staff left for jobs with other teams. Passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak left to become offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints. Former assistant offensive line coach James Cregg was hired to be offensive line coach for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Former assistant defensive line coach Darryl Tapp was hired as defensive line coach for the Washington Commanders, who also hired former 49ers assistant head coach and running backs coach Anthony Lynn as their running backs coach and run game coordinator.
