Jets Hire Journeyman Coach Steve Wilks As New Defensive Coordinator

The New York Jets named Steve Wilks as their new defensive coordinator Wednesday, replacing Jeff Ulbrich. Wilks was most recently the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2023 and has previously served as head coach for the Cardinals and Panthers.

Wilks will join new head coach Aaron Glenn, another defensive-minded staff member, on a Jets team looking to rebuild from a dreadful 2024 season. The team’s offensive coordinator position is still up in the air, though it is almost impossible to imagine Nathaniel Hackett returning without quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Despite never spending more than three years with one team, Wilks has consistently found work in the NFL for the better part of two decades. He was named the Cardinals’ head coach in 2018, earning a 3-13 record before getting fired. 

In 2022, he had a far more successful stint as the Panthers’ interim head coach. Replacing Matt Rhule during the season, he guided a poor Carolina team to a 6-6 finish. He was considered for the permanent position, but Carolina passed and he headed to San Francisco.

In his sole season as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, Wilks successfully maintained a talented San Francisco defense on the way to a Super Bowl appearance. He also reportedly had disagreements with head coach Kyle Shanahan, however. 

After the 49ers’ Super Bowl defeat, Shanahan publicly announced that he made the decision to cut Wilks loose. San Francisco missed the playoffs in 2024 and allowed the fourth most points in the NFL.

Glenn and Wilks will inherit a young and talented Jets defense, one of the few functional assets in recent New York seasons. Cornerback Sauce Gardner leads an elite unit that also includes Quinnen Williams, Quincy Williams and Jermaine Johnson. Pieces could come and go in the off-season, but the defense will be the least of the team’s problems in the midst of another quarterback shuffle.