San Francisco fires DC Steve Wilks.

[CoachLite]

Imagine that? A coach gets fired for making bone-headed calls during an important game.

[chad72]

The marriage between Kyle Shanahan and Steve Wilks was always rocky. Sometimes I felt KS was too willing to throw Wilks under the bus by publicly disagreeing with his calls (like that blitz before half-time in the Vikings game resulting in an Addison TD) putting Wilks in a spot to defend himself to media. Coaches like Dungy, Pagano, Steichen would have addressed it behind closed doors.
 

The results on the field however were too hit and miss with the slow starts versus Packers and Lions that required offensive comebacks.  The overall body of work wasn’t as good as they’d have liked. 
 

Mile Vrabel or Belichick would be good names to look at for the DC spot though I think both of them would prefer a HC job.
 

 

[richard pallo]

I think Shanahan called a timeout at the end of the game because he didn’t like the defense that Wilks put them in.  When he did that I knew he was in trouble.  If they won he might have survived but by losing that was going to be put on him.  

[chad72]

12 hours ago, richard pallo said:

I think Shanahan called a timeout at the end of the game because he didn’t like the defense that Wilks put them in.  When he did that I knew he was in trouble.  If they won he might have survived but by losing that was going to be put on him.  

Then there’s the Bills GM showing patience with Sean McDermott. I just feel Shanahan is getting very antsy and can be impulsive as a HC to go with him being an outstanding intelligent play caller.

 

If I’m a DC, I worry about explaining my play calling after a bad mistake under him, almost would feel like I had no margin for error under KS.

[CoachLite]

14 hours ago, chad72 said:

The marriage between Kyle Shanahan and Steve Wilks was always rocky. Sometimes I felt KS was too willing to throw Wilks under the bus by publicly disagreeing with his calls (like that blitz before half-time in the Vikings game resulting in an Addison TD) putting Wilks in a spot to defend himself to media. Coaches like Dungy, Pagano, Steichen would have addressed it behind closed doors.
 

The results on the field however were too hit and miss with the slow starts versus Packers and Lions that required offensive comebacks.  The overall body of work wasn’t as good as they’d have liked. 
 

Mile Vrabel or Belichick would be good names to look at for the DC spot though I think both of them would prefer a HC job.
 

 

I think the point is that the DC has to fit into the entire picture of the team's overall strategy. Wilks didn't. The verdict is out on Bradley. Right or wrong, everyone has to be pulling in the same direction, otherwise chaos and conflict (and losses) results. For the past decade or two, I never felt like the Colt's coaches and GM were on the same page with the owner. You can't have that many drivers on the bus trying to go to different places at the same time. Some hard decisions need to be made about the direction a team is going. That applies to SF as well as the Colts.

[richard pallo]

1 hour ago, CoachLite said:

I think the point is that the DC has to fit into the entire picture of the team's overall strategy. Wilks didn't. The verdict is out on Bradley. Right or wrong, everyone has to be pulling in the same direction, otherwise chaos and conflict (and losses) results. For the past decade or two, I never felt like the Colt's coaches and GM were on the same page with the owner. You can't have that many drivers on the bus trying to go to different places at the same time. Some hard decisions need to be made about the direction a team is going. That applies to SF as well as the Colts.

There is no doubt in my mind that if Steichen wasn’t happy with Gus he would have replaced him.  I think all three were on board with trading Gilmore and intentionally going younger in the secondary and they all were on board with being patient with Leonard.  So they were all pulling in the same direction.  I think they reach consensus on important decisions that need to be made.  Nothing has changed as the off season gets underway.  

[CoachLite]

1 minute ago, richard pallo said:

There is no doubt in my mind that if Steichen wasn’t happy with Gus he would have replaced him.  I think all three were on board with trading Gilmore and intentionally going younger in the secondary and they all were on board with being patient with Leonard.  So they were all pulling in the same direction.  I think they reach consensus on important decisions that need to be made.  Nothing has changed as the off season gets underway.  

You may be right and everyone was in agreement. That is not to say that they were correct, but who am I to judge? I guess time will tell how things shake out for the Colts. I lost my blue, Happy Colts glasses long ago.

[richard pallo]

2 hours ago, chad72 said:

Then there’s the Bills GM showing patience with Sean McDermott. I just feel Shanahan is getting very antsy and can be impulsive as a HC to go with him being an outstanding intelligent play caller.

 

If I’m a DC, I worry about explaining my play calling after a bad mistake under him, almost would feel like I had no margin for error under KS.

I’m surprised McDermott survived actually.  Now they both are on the hot seat next year.  The Bills GM has a huge cap deficit to work around and McDermott needs to do much better with a weaker roster most likely.  Good luck with that.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Maybe Shannahan should fire himself for dumb play calling in the 4th Qtr and not knowing the OT rules where he should have deferred instead of taking the ball 1st. He also is the reason why the 49ers lost to KC back in 2019, but yet he made Jimmy G the scapegoat. That is what I think of it. 

[chad72]

1 hour ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Maybe Shannahan should fire himself for dumb play calling in the 4th Qtr and not knowing the OT rules where he should have deferred instead of taking the ball 1st. He also is the reason why the 49ers lost to KC back in 2019, but yet he made Jimmy G the scapegoat. That is what I think of it. 

 

Yep. Kyle calls what, 8 or 9 consecutive pass plays and goes 3 and out 3 times after the Mahomes INT, and Wilks does his best to give up only 1 TD to Mahomes in regulation due to a punt returner mistake on a short field and you embellish your differences in philosophy to justify his firing??? Did he not know at the time of hiring that Wilks coached different styles throughout his career, different than what Saleh and Ryans coached the last 4 years?

 

If I were a DC, I would have a hard time accepting a DC job under Kyle because he will throw me under the bus the first chance he gets to save his behind, IMO.

 

 

[NewColtsFan]

15 hours ago, richard pallo said:

I’m surprised McDermott survived actually.  Now they both are on the hot seat next year.  The Bills GM has a huge cap deficit to work around and McDermott needs to do much better with a weaker roster most likely.  Good luck with that.

McDermott has plenty of credibility in Buffalo.   Not sure what you think he’s done that he deserves to be fired?  

[NewColtsFan]

On 2/14/2024 at 2:49 PM, CoachLite said:

Imagine that? A coach gets fired for making bone-headed calls during an important game.

Turns out the SB is NOT why Wilks got fired.  Reportedly, Wilks and Shannahan were a very bad fit all season long.  This had been brewing for quite a while.   Wilks would likely have been let go even if the 9ers had won. 

[OLD FAN MAN]

15 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Turns out the SB is NOT why Wilks got fired.  Reportedly, Wilks and Shannahan were a very bad fit all season long.  This had been brewing for quite a while.   Wilks would likely have been let go even if the 9ers had won. 

link???

[jvan1973]

18 minutes ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

link???

Is your Google broken? It isn't breaking news.   

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

link???

Go to YouTube. 
 

Search:   Rich Eisen, Steve Wilks fired. 
 

You’ll find interview clips with 49ers announcer Greg Pappa.  He explains. 
 

There should also be other clips on the topic.  

[Superman]

On 2/15/2024 at 11:29 AM, chad72 said:

If I were a DC, I would have a hard time accepting a DC job under Kyle because he will throw me under the bus the first chance he gets to save his behind, IMO.

 

He didn't fire Demeco Ryans or Robert Saleh. And Shanahan isn't in any trouble, so I don't understand why he would need to save his own behind in the first place.

 

Contrary to what the knee jerk response would indicate, the Niners didn't get rid of Steve Wilks because they lost the SB. Wilks and Shanahan were not on the same page, and it was obvious at various points throughout the season. They saw things differently enough that it became public knowledge. Some Niners fans wondered if Wilks might be fired halfway through the season. 

 

I don't know if Wilks deserved to get fired, but I don't think he was thrown under the bus. And I don't think other DC candidates will worry about that either.

[sb41champs]

The Niners defense was spectacular all year - and - then - the Super Bowl.

 

The word "flop" comes to mind.

 

While I hate to see anyone lose their job - in this case - it was justified.

[chad72]

On 2/20/2024 at 3:39 PM, Superman said:

 

He didn't fire Demeco Ryans or Robert Saleh. And Shanahan isn't in any trouble, so I don't understand why he would need to save his own behind in the first place.

 

Contrary to what the knee jerk response would indicate, the Niners didn't get rid of Steve Wilks because they lost the SB. Wilks and Shanahan were not on the same page, and it was obvious at various points throughout the season. They saw things differently enough that it became public knowledge. Some Niners fans wondered if Wilks might be fired halfway through the season. 

 

I don't know if Wilks deserved to get fired, but I don't think he was thrown under the bus. And I don't think other DC candidates will worry about that either.

 

Tell me this, why are there names like Gus Bradley and Jeff Ulbrich thrown around when they are already entrenched DCs? Is the expectation that their employers Colts and Jets won't block them from a lateral job? 

 

https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/kyle-shanahan-extremely-secretive-dc-hire-49ers-18680729.php

[Superman]

1 hour ago, chad72 said:

 

Tell me this, why are there names like Gus Bradley and Jeff Ulbrich thrown around when they are already entrenched DCs? Is the expectation that their employers Colts and Jets won't block them from a lateral job? 

 

https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/kyle-shanahan-extremely-secretive-dc-hire-49ers-18680729.php

 

I think people are just making stuff up because the Niners front office has gone dark on them. No one knows who the Niners are considering at DC, it's been over a week and there are no leaks, and the speculation is pretty outsized given some of the available names -- Belichick, Vrabel, etc. The one guy's tweet was basically 'I don't know anything, but it might be soon,' and his basis is simply because the Combine is next week, so they must be getting close, right? And his mailbag article, where he names Bradley and Ulbrich, is just a bunch of guesses on his part. 

 

These reporters have to have engagement, but they have nothing to say about this because they don't know anything. There are no actual reports connecting Bradley or Ulbrich to the Niners. I think the only connection is this reporter thinks the Niners want someone from the old Seattle system, and Bradley fits that criteria. Same thing with Ulbrich, although he was actually on the Falcons staff with Shanahan.

 

I doubt that any team would allow a coordinator to leave for a lateral move in late February. If the Niners want to trade for Gus Bradley, please let them do so -- I'll take one Brandon Aiyuk, please --  but any trade seems unlikely. So Bradley isn't going anywhere.