The 49ers had four defensive players selected to the Pro Bowl and five others were alternates. Yet, the 49ers didn’t always play up to their all-star status.
They finished the regular season ranked eighth in total defense (303.9) and third in points allowed (17.5).
The 49ers allowed 31 points to the Lions in the NFC Championship Game, including 24 in the first half, and allowed the Chiefs to score on their final four possessions of the Super Bowl.
That has brought some heat on defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
Coach Kyle Shanahan, though, said Tuesday that he expects Wilks to return along with most of the staff. Passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak is leaving to become the Saints’ offensive coordinator.
“I haven’t talked to anybody yet, so, yeah, I expect all our coaches to be back,” Shanahan said when asked specifically about Wilks’ return, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com.
Wilks, 54, replaced DeMeco Ryans as defensive coordinator a year ago. The 49ers allowed 409 yards per game and 25.7 points per game in the team’s three postseason games under Wilks.
Shanahan, though, defended the job Wilks did.
“I thought they’re one of the reasons that we got this far,” Shanahan said of the defense. “I thought they did a number of good things. They did a lot of good things in that game [Super Bowl LVIII], too. Just like our whole team. Our team did a bunch of good things this year but came up short in the last game.”
