Commanders hired Steve Wilks to help Washington’s defensive game plans

The Commanders have hired longtime and well-respected defensive NFL coach Steve Wilks to assist with game planning, according to multiple reports. While news broke on Wednesday, Wilks reportedly started last week, His part-time addition has been in the works since before the season started. This has

Football Zone

SEE ALL

SB Nation

‘One of my favorite players’ Chiefs remember the late Allen Bailey

Bills Wire

Bills' Joe Brady locker room speech post-Raiders win (video)

SB Nation

Patriots at Bears Q&A: The Battle of 2024 QB Supremacy

What is the story about?

The Commanders have hired longtime and well-respected defensive NFL coach Steve Wilks to assist with game planning, according to multiple reports.

While news broke on Wednesday, Wilks reportedly started last week, His part-time addition has been in the works since before the season started.

The reporting made it clear the Wilks hire had nothing to do with the game-management mistakes of the past two weeks. It’s also not a sign of disappointment

in defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, who has had some ups and downs thus far as a rookie NFL play caller.

Wilks will assist during the practice week but will not be with the Commanders on game days.

Wilks has been coaching for a long time at various positions. He was Arizona’s head coach in 2023 and Carolina’s interim head coach in 2022, after Matt Rhule was fired. He has been a defensive coordinator in Carolina (2017), Cleveland (2019), San Francisco (2023) and with the New York Jets (2025).