A day after San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan declared that Steve Wilks "messed up" in calling a zero blitz in the closing seconds of the first half against the Minnesota Vikings, the defensive coordinator took ownership of the decision.
"I take full responsibility for that call," Wilks said on Thursday, speaking to reporters for the first time since the Week 7 defeat. "I have to do a better job and put the guys in a better position. We have good players. I know that, and can't really press the issue. And with that, moving forward, it's my responsibility to do that. So I wish I could take it back, but again, I got to do better."
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While Wilks spoke at the podium, Shanahan was engaged in his regular interview on the Bay Area radio station KNBR. Naturally, the blitz call came up early in the conversation, given the intense scrutiny it received throughout the week.
The coach took some of the responsibility off of Wilks' shoulders, emphasizing that, as the head coach, all in-game decisions go through him.
"It's ultimately up to me," Shanahan told KNBR's Tom Tolbert. "I heard that [play call], and I should have called a timeout and changed it, but I didn't. So, that's what happens."
The coach conceded that he would not have taken issue with the call if more time had been left on the clock. With 16 seconds left in the first half, the primary objective should have been to prevent a scoring play.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward nearly came away with his second interception of the game on the play, but Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison managed to wrestle it away from the 49ers defender. Even if Ward had gained possession, there would have needed to be more time to make a meaningful play before halftime.
Kyle Shanahan says the decision to call a zero blitz at the end of the first half vs. Minnesota ultimately falls on him pic.twitter.com/VsThHAht4z
— KNBR (@KNBR) October 26, 2023