Two veteran defensive coordinators were shown the door on Friday as Mike Nolan was let go by the Dallas Cowboys and Dom Capers was fired by the Minnesota Vikings.
The Cowboys also announced that defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was also fired.
“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,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said in a statement. “These are never easy decisions to make, and we wish them, and their families, the very best in the future.”
The Vikings announced that Capers’ contract would not be renewed for 2021.
“It was a mutual decision, sitting down discussing things, my role at this point, and so, hey, after having 25 years of being either a head coach or a coordinator, I guess you get to this point,” Capers said, per the Pioneer Press.
Both Nolan and Capers were let go after just one season.
The Cowboys’ defense finished 28th in the league in points allowed per game (29.6) while the Vikings were 29th (29.7).
Both Nolan and Capers have head coaching resumes as well. Capers, 70, went 49-81 in eight seasons as head coach of the Carolina Panthers (1995-98) and Houston Texans (2002-05). Nolan, 61, went 18-37 in four seasons leading the San Francisco 49ers (2005-08).
The Vikings also parted with director of competition development Mark Uyeyama.
