Gang Green Nation
Wilks has a long and varied history in the NFL
On Wednesday night, news broke that the New York Jets had signed Steve Wilks to be their new defensive coordinator.
Wilks comes with a long resume that includes a full season as head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 and a more recent stint as interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers in 2022. While this head coaching experience will surely be an asset to first time head coach Aaron Glenn, what will likely define the success of the Wilks hire will be how his defense fares with him as defensive coordinator.
Importantly, Wilks has held this role three times in the NFL before. Interesting enough, he has held this role with three different teams, but never for more than a year.
He first held this role for the Carolina Panthers in 2017. During that season, his team had the below ranks, with lower ranks denoting better performance:
He next held this role for the Cleveland Browns in 2019. During that season, his team had the below ranks, with lower ranks denoting better performance:
He last held this role for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. During that season, his team had the below ranks, with lower ranks denoting better performance:
Based on those numbers, his most impressive season was in 2023 with a rather talented 49ers defense. The New York Jets, despite their 2024 struggles, come with a similarly talented unit on paper. If Wilks can get the Jets defense even close to the performance level of the 2023 49ers defense, it would be a major step towards getting this downtrodden franchise back on track.
