Dick Nolan was a former American football player and coach who had a successful career in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a defensive back for the New York Giants, Chicago Cardinals, and Dallas Cowboys during his playing career. After retiring as a player, he became a coach and worked for several NFL teams, including the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons.
Nolan began his NFL career in 1954 when he was drafted by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. He played for the Giants for four seasons before being traded to the Chicago Cardinals in 1958. He spent two seasons with the Cardinals before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 1960. He played for the Cowboys for two seasons before retiring as a player in 1962.
After retiring as a player, Nolan began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys. He worked for the Cowboys for four seasons before being hired as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 1968. He spent four seasons with the 49ers and helped the team reach the playoffs in 1970 and 1971.
In 1975, Nolan was hired as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. He spent four seasons with the Saints and helped the team improve from a 2-12 record in his first season to a 7-9 record in his final season. He was fired by the Saints in 1978 and was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Houston Oilers the following year.
Nolan spent one season with the Oilers before being hired as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 1980. He led the Falcons to a 12-4 record in his first season and helped the team reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. However, the Falcons lost in the first round of the playoffs and Nolan was fired after the season.
Overall, Nolan had a successful career in the NFL as both a player and coach. He was known for his defensive expertise and helped several teams improve their defensive performance during his coaching career. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 75.
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