Washington Commanders Hire Steve Wilks as Part-Time Defensive Assistant

The Washington Commanders have appointed Steve Wilks, a veteran NFL coach, as a part-time assistant for their defensive coaching staff. His role began last week, as reported on Wednesday.

In this position, Wilks will assist head coach Dan Quinn and first-year defensive coordinator Daronte Jones with game-planning, although he will not be present during games. His hiring occurred prior to the start of the current season.

Wilks, who is 57 years old, previously served as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 and was the interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers in 2022. He has also held various coaching roles, including defensive coordinator positions with the San Francisco 49ers, Panthers, University of Missouri, and Cleveland Browns since beginning his coaching career in 1995.