Steve Wilks

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
16 145-112-1 56.40% 7-7 50.00%

Coaching Tree

Parents:

Lovie Smith, Norv Turner, Ron Rivera


Biography

Table of Contents

Career Summary

Steve Wilks is a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) and has been the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers since 2023. Prior to this season, he coached for the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, and Cleveland Browns for fifteen seasons. His most recent position was with the Panthers as their interim head coach/defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach. He was also the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals for the 2018 season. The Cardinals went 3-13-0 in this lone season as a head coach. During his career he was a head coach for one season. He was fired from the Cardinals on Monday, December 31, 2018.

Steve Wilks Coaching Tree

Before he was a head coach, Wilks served as an assistant coach for Lovie Smith, Norv Turner, Ron Rivera, Freddie Kitchens, Matt Rhule, and Kyle Shanahan. Six of these years were spent on Rivera's coaching staff.

Playing Career

Wilks played defensive back while at college.

Personal Information

Wilks was born on Friday, August 8, 1969 in Charlotte, North Carolina.


History

Year Position Record Playoff record
2023 San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator 12-5-0 2-1
2022 Carolina Panthers Defensive Pass Game Coordinator / Secondary Coach 1-4-0 0-0
2022 Carolina Panthers Interim Head Coach 6-6-0 0-0
2019 Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator 6-10-0 0-0
2018 Arizona Cardinals Head Coach 3-13-0 0-0
2017 Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator 11-5-0 0-1
2016 Carolina Panthers Assistant Head Coach / Secondary Coach 6-10-0 0-0
2015 Carolina Panthers Assistant Head Coach / Secondary Coach 15-1-0 2-1
2014 Carolina Panthers Passing Defense Coordinator / Secondary Coach 7-8-1 1-1
2013 Carolina Panthers Passing Defense Coordinator / Secondary Coach 12-4-0 0-1
2012 Carolina Panthers Passing Defense Coordinator / Defensive Backs Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2011 San Diego Chargers Assistant Head Coach / Secondary Coach 8-8-0 0-0
2010 San Diego Chargers Secondary Coach 9-7-0 0-0
2009 San Diego Chargers Secondary Coach 13-3-0 0-1
2008 Chicago Bears Defensive Backs Coach 9-7-0 0-0
2007 Chicago Bears Defensive Backs Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2006 Chicago Bears Defensive Backs Coach 13-3-0 2-1

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts