Cowboys fire DC Nolan
FRISCO — The Dallas Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan on Friday after their defense allowed a franchise record in points and finished 31st in the NFL against the run in his only season.
Coach Mike McCarthy hired Nolan from New Orleans, where hewas coaching linebackers, when McCarthy replaced Jason Garrett a year ago. They worked together for a season in San Francisco in 2005, when Nolan was coach and McCarthy was his offensive coordinator and the 49ers finished 4-12.
Dallas also fired defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, another former San Francisco coach.
The Cowboys, who finished 6-10, gave up 473 points (29.6 per game), topping the previous club worst of 436 from 2020. In other NFL news:
• Dynamic defensive star Aaron Donald and unstoppable tight end Travis Kelce are unanimous choices for the Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team.
Donald and Kelce swept the votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members. It is the sixth All-Pro selection for Donald, who has helped the Rams to the top-ranked defense in the NFL, and the third for Kansas City’s record-setting Kelce.
Joining Donald and Kelce are 15 players returning to the squad, and 14 newcomers. Seattle linebacker BobbyWagner made his sixth squad.
Aaron Rodgers, who guided Green Bay (13-3) to the top seed in the NFC, makes his third team, as does Chiefs wide receiver
Tyreek Hill. Selected for the first time in the offensive skill positions are 2,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry of Tennessee, Buffalo wideout Stefon Diggs, who led the NFL in catches and yards receiving, and Rodgers’ favorite target,