Career
He played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at the University of Nebraska. He was selected to play in the state’s 1983 All-Star Shrine Bowl football game played at Nebraska Memorial Stadium.
He accepted a scholarship from the University of Nebraska and played as a defensive end as a freshman.
During his junior season, defensive coordinator coach Charlie McBride moved him to nose tackle and became a starter. He had a dominant season as a senior when the team ranked second in the nation in total defense.
He was also named the game"s Most Valuable Player in the 1986 Sugar Bowl. In 2005, he was selected by the Omaha World-Herald as one of Nebraska"s Top 100 greatest athletes.
Dallas Cowboys
He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round (12th overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft, with the intention of being the eventual successor to Randy White and to help revitalize an aging defensive line.
After having the longest holdout by a rookie in franchise history, he fell behind in learning the nuances of Tom Landry"s flex defense and was only a situational player in his first season. Despite suffering hip and knee injuries, his best year statistically was in 1988, as he recorded 16 starts, 84 tackles, 7.5 sacks (tied for the team lead with Garry Cobb) and returned an interception for a touchdown. In 1989, he missed 9 games with a groin injury.
He resumed his starting role (15 starts) in 1990, finishing fourth (first among defensive lineman) on the team in tackles (85) and also registered 4.5 sacks.
After starting the first 3 games in 1991, with the addition of Tony Casillas, the emergence of Russell Maryland and Jimmie Jones, he played sparingly the rest of the season and finished with 11 tackles and one sack. He was released after the first 2 games of the 1992 season, to make room for Russell Maryland upon his return from a toe injury.
He started 41 out of 67 possible games and recorded 15 sacks in his Cowboys career. Green Bay Packers
Noonan was claimed off waivers by the Green Bay Packers, played 6 games as a backup in the team"s 3-4 defense and recorded 4 tackles, before being waived on November 10, 1992.
Denver Broncos
He signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos in 1993.
He retired on August 17, after missing almost half of the team"s training camp with a knee injury.