Mike Nolan has been hired as the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator, the NFL team said moments ago.
Nolan leaves the Dolphins after two seasons as their defensive coordinator.
Nolan's defense was sixth in the NFL in fewest points allowed in 2011 after finishing 14th in the category in 2010. The move obviously leaves the Dolphins without a defensive coordinator even as the team is continuing to search for a head coach.
Yes, the coaching talent is leaking in Miami.
Nolan is a very good coach. The only way this is not viewed as a significant loss is if the Dolphins hire a defensive minded head coach such as Mike Zimmer. Zimmer, the current Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator, would run the 4-3 defense if he comes to Miami.
The Dolphins are and have been a 3-4 defense under Nolan.
The Falcons have been a 4-3 defense.
If the Dolphins, however, hire say Mike McCoy as their head coach, this is clearly a loss for the franchise. Yes, it will be painted as McCoy, an offensive coach, should get the right to hire his own staff. But let's face it, no one McCoy gets is going to be as experienced as Nolan and probably won't be as good.
I'm not, however, surprised Nolan is gone. He was disappointed the Dolphins didn't at least interview him for the vacant head coach job after Jeff Fisher turned the team down. The man has pride.
The argument could easily be made Nolan has more credentials than several of the assistant coaches the Dolphins have interviewed for the head coach vacancy.
The Dolphins are going to look like a state penitentiary team soon. And we were supposed to have an offseason for the ages... not happening.
Let's go phins!
Posted by: GT | January 17, 2012 at 04:03 PM
Armando needs to start posting FACTS pretty annoying he just assumes all the time
Posted by: jordan | January 17, 2012 at 04:03 PM
ABANDON SHIP!
ABANDON SHIP!
WE ARE GOING DOWN!
Seriously, I have had it with this franchise.
Posted by: IrelandSucks | January 17, 2012 at 04:04 PM
Jason Taylor began his career in a 4-3 scheme...
Opposite maybe for C. Wake??
Bring in The Zim!
Posted by: ESPNsucks | January 17, 2012 at 04:04 PM
Montreal, I read on another site that the Dolphins are scheduled to interview Carmichael this week. But it wouldn't surprise me if they went ahead and hired Zimmer. Since they do seem to have that Dallas connection thing going.
I would hope they would at least get Carmichael interviewed.
Sr. Bowl practices start Monday!
Posted by: Texas_Dolfan | January 17, 2012 at 04:05 PM
Stop bringing up the "Dallas connection" and associating it with Mike Zimmer, it makes you look like you have no clue as to what you are talking about, which clearly you do not
Posted by: ESPNsucks | January 17, 2012 at 04:06 PM
Gee we are not even done with the season and it seems the offseason has lasted 7 months already. I guess when your season is over by game 8 it seems forever. It's hard finding confidence in this front office.
Posted by: robert in az | January 17, 2012 at 04:07 PM
SEARCH THIS - Great post @ 3:53!
Posted by: wolfman13 | January 17, 2012 at 04:08 PM
Nolan's contract expired this month
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:09 PM
Eric Mangini
Posted by: Hayden Fox | January 17, 2012 at 04:09 PM
THE HEAD COACH THEY HIRE IS GOING TO BE DEF MINDED THATS FOR.
Posted by: B BOY 954 | January 17, 2012 at 04:09 PM
Best of luck to Mike Nolan in Atlanta. Working for an owner who has no clue how to run an NFL franchise must have made his decision to leave easier. Considering Nolan has past head coaching experience and has done a pretty good job running the Dolphins defense the past two seasons, he deserved at least an interview. How much more can Stephen Ross mess up the Dolphins in one off-season? I'm scared to know.
Posted by: J.A.T. | January 17, 2012 at 04:09 PM
Geeze-a-mighty!! What lil momentum Fins had ending the season has been washed away!! What terrible decisions by Ross!!!!
Posted by: robbyhernz | January 17, 2012 at 04:10 PM
cowher must be on the way.. LOL
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:10 PM
On Mike Nolan,
Miami's D was good but not great. They lacked personel in some spots to make it elite but also Nolan is a vanilla play caller compared to what every team matches up with foremost and that is their own division. Nolan doesn't call the exotic schemes like Rex Ryan whose defense took a step back this year but overall has been very good. Likewise for Belichick. His D stunk this year but he has Devin McCourty playing FS, a guy who got cut in Oakland starting at CD, Edelman playing nickel and so on.
Nolan is a good coach and probably did deserve at least a courtesy interview and IMO should have been made the interim but leage wide it was obvious who gets the interim positions.
I wish you well Mike Nolan but you won't be missed.
Posted by: AndyNJ | January 17, 2012 at 04:11 PM
we r on the move boys and girls... 7-9 maybe 8-8?? whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ala carte of knowledge
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:11 PM
We need something good to happen........a few good players in the draft maybe, I don't know.
But we desperately need something....ANYTHING good to happen to give us a little hope.
Posted by: Ohio Dolfan | January 17, 2012 at 04:12 PM
Not great news for Bowles either!
Posted by: tricky dick | January 17, 2012 at 04:13 PM
Nolan is a very overrated coach who is not aggressive enough. This is not a big loss.
Posted by: Tony | January 17, 2012 at 04:14 PM
Ohio, I said it earlier as well. The phins need to do something big in the draft. Bring some hope back to the fanbase.
It's a sad state of affairs when Nolan, who not all that great, is considered to be a big loss.
Posted by: SEARCH THIS!!! | January 17, 2012 at 04:14 PM
So the Dolphins are frantically looking for coaching talent and the longer they look the more talent they actually lose!
Why not even interview Nolan!? Stupid. Now the Colts are looking for a HC too and we'll have to compete against them!!
And throughout this whole process communication between the dolphins management and the fans (you know, the one's who spend the money) has been insulting.
Posted by: Pete | January 17, 2012 at 04:14 PM
exciting team, exciting offseason...
alacarteeeeeeee
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:15 PM
I'm surprised that so many people are shocked by this. Personally, I don't really think it means anything. Very rarely does a franchise bring in a new HC, but retain the assistants. Most HC hires are allowed full control over who there staff is....so, most likely, Nolan would be gone anyway.
I'm with some others here....I think they've already made their decision on Zimmer and just let Nolan go out of courtesy.
Posted by: wolfman13 | January 17, 2012 at 04:15 PM
Don Zimmer?
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:17 PM
Ross and Ireland are already on shore laughing at us. They already abandoned the ship. They came believe this many fans stayed aboard!!
Posted by: canesnfins | January 17, 2012 at 04:17 PM
Thanks ctphins... I figured that out but had to look it up elsewhere first.
I'm so over this team. I'm happy that I gave up the season tickets last year, and I may not even watch them on TV if this keeps up (the home games won't be televised anyway)...
Posted by: BrassMonkey | January 17, 2012 at 04:17 PM
I agree Search this..........
At this point just a bit of good news is all i need, something to kick my arse out of this bad mood.
It doesn't take much for me to get optimistic again as I love my phins so much, but SOMETHING needs to happen
Posted by: Ohio Dolfan | January 17, 2012 at 04:17 PM
just gets worse and worse. what a joke we have become
Posted by: dusty bottoms | January 17, 2012 at 04:17 PM
Gregg Williams reminds me too much of Tom Olivadotti. I'm glad he's not our new DC. I also would have had zero patience with little schotty. To sum up, I'm not blown away by Fisher's choices so far.
Posted by: Blog Fodder | January 17, 2012 at 04:18 PM
yeah direct tv is so done with. Package is like 400 bucks now... for this team... nooo way!!
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:18 PM
With Toub out & Indy needing a coach, the taent pool is getting thinner. Did Mccoy interview yet? What about Carmichael & Chudz?
The Dolphins should have moved on from Fisher & make his choice easier. Ball boy better get cracking before the coach pool is dried up.
Posted by: SEARCH THIS!!! | January 17, 2012 at 04:19 PM
Mando,
When many of us fans wanted to fire Sparano after week 3 to hire Nolan as Interim HC, you ridiculed us because the D was so bad. No you are saying he's better than what we're interviewing today. Make up your mind.
Posted by: Ken from CT | January 17, 2012 at 04:19 PM
Zimmer will be coach.
Posted by: Spiderman | January 17, 2012 at 04:20 PM
Ros and Ireland are IDIOTS for letting Nolan, the only GOOD coach we had, go to the Falcons. Our defense will suffer. It hurts to be a Dolphin's fan nowadays...
Posted by: Jay | January 17, 2012 at 04:20 PM
Chudz aint getting an interview with this team.
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:20 PM
I hope so Spderman, thats a win for us.
Posted by: ESPNsucks | January 17, 2012 at 04:20 PM
And of course old elephant ears hasnt a clue. I was under the impression Nolan was still under contract
Posted by: Dragonfly34 | January 17, 2012 at 04:21 PM
Has the Black Plague arrived in Dolphin Camp. Everybody's either skipping town or avoiding the down trodden franchise. Sucks, but reality is everybody is turned off by the Dolphin brass, and outside of several coordinators nobody has any interest in working for the knuckleheads upstairs,Ross&Ireland, aka.Dumb and Dumber
Posted by: DM | January 17, 2012 at 04:21 PM
Once all the other Teams have hired their HC we'll get our HC. Well choose from the scraps, I mean acorns.
Posted by: Texas_Dolfan | January 17, 2012 at 04:21 PM
Wow, this ship is sinking like an Italian Cruise Liner!!!!
Posted by: Bill | January 17, 2012 at 04:21 PM
...that's what happens in a sinking ship...every body bails out...i'm sure Nolan left because of something else besides money...maybe management? Ownership? There is no likely hood that Phins will get any kind of quality coach until Ross hires some one to handle the executive decisions of the Dolphins and he stays out. Whatever happened to Don Shula's group that where once interested in buying the Browns? Please come bail us out...we don't want to be the laughing stock of the NFL any more!!!
Posted by: Captcrunch | January 17, 2012 at 04:22 PM
Well, at least Nolan went to a pro team.
Posted by: Gregg | January 17, 2012 at 04:22 PM
yip his contract just expired as did our 6th ranked D.. Nolan did a good job here I never critized him, one bad hiccup on first game.
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:22 PM
Let me guess in the draft OLB, RG, DE, RB,CB Bla Bla Bla Bla!!! They'll mess this draft up worst then the HC search!!
Posted by: canesnfins | January 17, 2012 at 04:22 PM
wow. there is no one available as experienced or as good as Nolan? how about Spagnuolo??
Posted by: soupcan | January 17, 2012 at 04:23 PM
Name him the head coach now.
Coach Zimmer.
Love It.
Posted by: Blake | January 17, 2012 at 04:23 PM
In his blog named "Judge the information with a grain of salt" Armando said the Dolphins would not let Nolan go and then a few days later when Nolan signs with the Falcons he says he is not surprised Nolan left. Total lack of credibility.
Posted by: Patrick | January 17, 2012 at 04:23 PM
im glad nolans gone, we couldnt get any pressure on the qb all year outside the kc game
Posted by: dusty bottoms | January 17, 2012 at 04:24 PM
I heard he contract was renewable on a year to year basis. That is why he could leave with no copensation. Ialso have been itching to switch back to the 4 3. I really have felt the the last two seaseons we have had a team theat was more built to be a 4 3 defense. I think with the right DC we will be fine if not better in a 4 3 system. We akso wont have to over pay for Pual and could let him go.
Posted by: OCPHINFAN | January 17, 2012 at 04:24 PM
Winston Moss...bring Winston in now! before you loose the rest of the fan base for the Phins...this is ghastly!!!!!
Posted by: Captcrunch | January 17, 2012 at 04:25 PM
Mando is just like us opinions only..no real facts.. instinct. I wonder how many people on this blogs are players? HA
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:25 PM
If Nolan's contract had expired;
and there was no effort to re-sign him
and he was passed-over in favor of Bowles
and Toub was seen as a more interesting interview
then it sounds as if Nolan was fired.
Posted by: Alberto Trigorio | January 17, 2012 at 04:25 PM
We're becoming the Al Davis dysfuctional Raiders
Posted by: DM | January 17, 2012 at 04:26 PM
Attrition by Subtraction...or something.
Posted by: Blog Fodder | January 17, 2012 at 04:26 PM
The nightmare continues for remaining Fin fans.
Posted by: YUCK | January 17, 2012 at 04:26 PM
Sparano has to be cracking up!
Posted by: Fins are Garbage | January 17, 2012 at 04:28 PM
dusty........ did you watch the Pats game (number 2) the cowboys game? Obviously not!
Posted by: ctphins | January 17, 2012 at 04:29 PM
Guys,
You know I try and come correct with my post as much as I can. And this isn't meant to be a joke this is for real on WIP a station here in Philly they are saying Miami is asking for permission to interview Marty Morningwheg!
Wow, he is the idiot of all idiots. Now this station which is the premier station once reported there was a trade in the works for Brian Urlacher. But that was for thier team to gain and for radio listeners to call in but why spread a rumor of Miami asking for permission?
Posted by: AndyNJ | January 17, 2012 at 04:29 PM
Hes probably doing his chest thumping field goal celebration
Posted by: DM | January 17, 2012 at 04:30 PM
I dont understand why you guys are crying over Nolan, the defense want dominating and couldnt stop any team on their last drive. Broncos, Pats to name a few. Crybabies!!
Posted by: Spiderman | January 17, 2012 at 04:30 PM