Mike Nolan facts for kids
Nolan in 2008
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| Michigan Panthers | |
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| Position: | Head coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 7, 1959 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Woodside (Woodside, California) |
| College: | Oregon |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | NFL 17–36 (.321) USFL/UFL 17–13 (.567) |
| Postseason: | USFL/UFL 1–3 (.250) |
| Career: | NFL 17–36 (.321) USFL/UFL 18–16 (.529) |
Michael Tullis Nolan (born March 7, 1959) is a well-known American football coach. He is currently the head coach for the Michigan Panthers in the United Football League (UFL).
Before joining the Panthers, Nolan was a head coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He also worked as a defensive coordinator for many National Football League (NFL) teams. These teams included the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, and Dallas Cowboys. He also coached linebackers for the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, and New Orleans Saints.
Contents
- Mike Nolan's Early Life and College Football
- Mike Nolan's Coaching Journey
- College Coaching Experience
- First Time with the Denver Broncos
- Coaching the New York Giants
- Working with the Washington Redskins
- Time with the New York Jets
- Coaching the Baltimore Ravens
- Leading the San Francisco 49ers
- Second Time with the Denver Broncos
- Coaching the Miami Dolphins
- Working with the Atlanta Falcons
- Time with the San Diego Chargers
- Coaching the New Orleans Saints
- Dallas Cowboys Challenges
- Leading the Michigan Panthers
- Mike Nolan's Coaching Records
- Mike Nolan's Family Life
Mike Nolan's Early Life and College Football
Mike Nolan was born on March 7, 1959. He went to the University of Oregon. There, he played football as a safety for three years.
Mike Nolan's Coaching Journey
Mike Nolan has had a long and interesting career in football coaching. He started coaching in college before moving to the NFL.
College Coaching Experience
Before joining the NFL, Nolan coached at several colleges. He worked at Stanford University, Rice University, and LSU.
First Time with the Denver Broncos
In 1987, the Denver Broncos hired Nolan. He started as a special teams coach. In 1989, he became their linebackers coach.
Coaching the New York Giants
Nolan moved to the New York Giants in 1993. He became their defensive coordinator, which means he was in charge of the team's defense.
Working with the Washington Redskins
In 1997, Nolan joined the Washington Redskins as their defensive coordinator.
Time with the New York Jets
Nolan became the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets in 2000.
Coaching the Baltimore Ravens
In 2001, Nolan was hired by the Baltimore Ravens to coach wide receivers. The next year, in 2002, he was promoted to defensive coordinator.
Leading the San Francisco 49ers
In 2005, Mike Nolan became the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. This was special because his father, Dick Nolan, had also been a head coach for the 49ers. Mike Nolan also acted as the team's general manager during this time.
Drafting Key Players
Nolan and the 49ers chose Alex Smith as the very first pick in the 2005 NFL draft. Nolan believed Smith was smart and thoughtful. He also considered Aaron Rodgers, another talented player, but decided against him.
Team Performance and Changes
In his first season (2005), the 49ers won 4 games and lost 12. The next year, they improved to 7 wins and 9 losses. People had high hopes for the 2007 season, but after a good start, the team had a long losing streak. Nolan faced a lot of pressure. After the 2007 season, he was no longer the general manager. On October 20, 2008, Nolan was fired as head coach. His assistant, Mike Singletary, took over.
The Sideline Suit Rule
When Nolan became the 49ers coach, he wanted to wear a suit and tie on the sidelines. This was a way to honor his father. At first, the NFL said no because of a contract with Reebok, which made team uniforms.
However, the rule changed during Nolan's second season. Coaches were allowed to wear a full suit for two home games each season. Nolan wore his suit for the first time in a game against the Seattle Seahawks in November 2006. After more discussions, the NFL and Reebok agreed to let coaches wear suits for all home games in the 2007 season. After leaving the 49ers, Nolan went back to wearing regular team clothes.
Second Time with the Denver Broncos
In 2009, Nolan returned to the Denver Broncos as their defensive coordinator. The team started the season very well, winning their first six games. They had a strong defense, allowing very few points. However, they struggled later in the season and missed the playoffs. In January 2010, Nolan decided to leave the Broncos.
Coaching the Miami Dolphins
Nolan joined the Miami Dolphins as defensive coordinator in January 2010. During his time there, the Dolphins' defense was ranked well in the league for points and yards allowed.
Working with the Atlanta Falcons
In 2012, Nolan became the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons' defense performed well in 2012, but faced more challenges in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Time with the San Diego Chargers
In 2015, Nolan was hired by the San Diego Chargers to coach their linebackers.
Coaching the New Orleans Saints
Nolan moved to the New Orleans Saints in 2017, where he also coached linebackers.
Dallas Cowboys Challenges
On January 5, 2020, Nolan became the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. He worked again with head coach Mike McCarthy. This season was very difficult due to various challenges. It was hard for Nolan to put his defensive plans into action. The team finished with a losing record. The defense allowed a lot of points, which was the most in the team's history. In January 2021, the Cowboys decided to let Nolan go.
Leading the Michigan Panthers
On February 3, 2023, it was announced that Nolan would be the head coach for the Michigan Panthers in the United States Football League (USFL). This was his first head coaching job since 2008.
2023 Season
In his first season with the Panthers, Nolan led them to a 4–6 record. This was an improvement from their previous season. Even with this record, the Panthers made it to the playoffs. They played against the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL North Championship Game, but lost in overtime.
2024 Season
The Panthers continued under Nolan's leadership after the USFL merged with the XFL to form the UFL. The team improved even more, finishing with a 7–3 record. This placed them second in their conference. Nolan was recognized for his great coaching and won the UFL's Coach of the Year award. However, the Panthers lost to the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL Conference Championship Game.
2025 Season
The Panthers finished the 2025 season with a 6-4 record. For the first time ever, they defeated the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL Conference Championship Game, winning 44-29. This was Nolan's first playoff win as a head coach. Unfortunately, the Panthers then lost to the DC Defenders in the UFL Championship game.
Mike Nolan's Coaching Records
Here are Mike Nolan's records as a head coach in the NFL and USFL/UFL.
NFL Head Coaching Record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| SF | 2005 | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 4th in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SF | 2006 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3rd in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SF | 2007 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3rd in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SF | 2008 | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | Fired | — | — | — | — |
| SF Total | 18 | 37 | 0 | .327 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
| Total | 18 | 37 | 0 | .327 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
USFL/UFL Head Coaching Record
| League | Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |||
| USFL | MICH | 2023 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 2nd in USFL North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Pittsburgh Maulers in North Division Championship Game |
| UFL | MICH | 2024 | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 2nd in USFL Conference | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Birmingham Stallions in USFL Conference Championship Game |
| MICH | 2025 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | 2nd in USFL Conference | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to DC Defenders in UFL Championship Game | |
| Total | 17 | 13 | 0 | .567 | 1 | 3 | .250 | ||||
Mike Nolan's Family Life
Mike Nolan is married to his wife, Kathy. They have four children: Michael, Laura, Jennifer, and Christopher.
Nolan went to Bellarmine College Preparatory and Woodside High School in California. His father, Dick Nolan, was also a famous football coach. Dick Nolan passed away in November 2007. Mike Nolan decided to coach the Monday Night Football game the day after his father's death to honor him.
