Mike Nolan didn’t have a successful run as a head coach in San Francisco. He was 18-37 before he was fired last year. But in the NFL, a good coordinator will often get a second or third chance (Norv Turner, Wade Phillips and Jim Mora Jr. are three examples that come to mind) and there has been no better coordinator in the NFL this year than Nolan.

Nolan took over a team that was in shambles defensively, and now is among the best in the league. The Broncos have allowed seven second-half points. They are second in the NFL in total defense. If the Broncos continue those trends, Nolan could get some consideration for another head-coaching job. And with many NFL team struggling mightily, there will be plenty of vacancies.

Nolan didn’t want to say whether he would like to be a head coach again, saying he is enjoying being a coordinator right now. He did sound very comfortable being a coordinator.

“I think the best job in coaching is the coordinator’s job,” Nolan said. “The head coach’s job is a great job, don’t get me wrong, monetarily is probably the most rewarding part about it though. As a coordinator there’s a lot more coaching rewards.

“I think the coordinator’s job is probably the most exciting job in football from a coaching and teaching standpoint. You get to do Xs and Os, you get to play chess on Sunday and you get to be hands on as far as teaching. From a coaching standpoint, I’m enjoying it.”

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