Commanders hire Steve Wilks as part-time defensive assistant

The Washington Commanders have hired Steve Wilks as a part-time assistant to help their defensive coaches with game planning, according to people familiar with the decision. Wilks is not with the team on game days, and the reports do not describe him as taking over another coaching role. Wilks began working with Washington last week. The decision was made last month, according to NFL Network reporters Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. A person with knowledge of the move separately told The Associated Press that head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones had been working on it since the start of the season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the hire. The Commanders were 1-4-1 during their bye week after losing 23-17 to the San Francisco 49ers. The reports place the move against a difficult start to the season, but describe Wilks’s assignment as support for defensive planning rather than a change in leadership. The team’s next scheduled game was against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 1. Wilks, 57 according to one report, has held several NFL defensive coaching jobs and has led teams as a head coach or interim head...