Former NFL coach Nolan dies

SAN FRANCISCO – Dick Nolan, the former coach of the San Francisco 49ers and the father of current coach Mike Nolan, died Sunday, the 49ers said. He was 75.

Dick Nolan, a former NFL defensive back who also coached the New Orleans Saints, had been in declining health with Alzheimer’s disease and prostate cancer for several years. He spent the last few months at an assisted-care facility in the Dallas area, near his longtime home with his wife, Ann.

Mike Nolan missed practice with the 49ers on Friday and Saturday, traveling back to Texas to be with his father. Team spokesman Aaron Salkin said Nolan would coach the 49ers tonight against the Seattle Seahawks.

Dick Nolan played nine NFL seasons before becoming a coach, assisting Hall of Famer Tom Landry in Dallas and going 71-85-3 in nearly 11 seasons with San Francisco and New Orleans. He led the perennially downtrodden 49ers to 56 wins, three division titles and two conference championship games in eight years with the club.

Dick and Mike Nolan were just the fifth father and son to become NFL head coaches, and the first to coach the same team since Bum and Wade Phillips both coached the Saints.