Cowboys News: Mike Nolan Fired as DC After Finishing 28th in Scoring Defense

The Dallas Cowboys announced Friday they have fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.

"I am appreciative of my relationships with both Mike and Jim, and I am grateful for the contributions that both of them made to our team under difficult circumstances in 2020," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "These are never easy decisions to make, and we wish them, and their families, the very best in the future."

Dallas allowed the fifth-most points in the NFL this season in Nolan's first year with the team.

The Cowboys ranked 11th in scoring defense in 2019 and were sixth in the category in 2018.

The 2020 version gave up 473 points on the season, the most in franchise history.

Dallas especially struggled against the run, giving up the second-most yards on the ground while ranking 30th in the NFL with 5.0 yards conceded per carry.

Team governor Jerry Jones refused to speak about Nolan's future with the organization in Tuesday's interview on 105.3 The Fan but said there should be no excuses because of the COVID-19 pandemic (h/t Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News).

"People got the job done with COVID," he said.

The Cowboys lost several starters to free agency last offseason, including Pro Bowlers Byron Jones and Robert Quinn. Injuries to key players like Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee also led to setbacks defensively.

The younger replacements weren't able to pick up the slack, an even tougher task with a limited offseason and no preseason games.

While the offense should bounce back next season if Dak Prescott returns, McCarthy will need more production from his defense to improve upon the team's 6-10 record.

Nolan will look for a new home with a long resume of experience in the NFL, completing 18 years as a defensive coordinator to go with four as a head coach. The 61-year-old spent the previous three seasons as a linebacker coach with the New Orleans Saints before joining the Cowboys this season.

Tomsula has been in the NFL since 2007, joining the staff in Dallas after spending the previous three years as the defensive line coach with the Washington Football Team.