The Cincinnati Bengals are finalizing a deal with Notre Dame’s Al Golden to fill their vacant defensive coordinator job, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday.
Cincinnati officially announced its hire of Golden on Thursday.
“Al is a very highly regarded coach, and we are excited to welcome him back to the Bengals as defensive coordinator,” head coach Zac Taylor said in a statement released by the team. “He understands football at every level and has had great success as a coordinator, position coach and head coach. Al has a great football mind and will bring a smart, physical, aggressive approach to our defense.”
Golden, 55, served as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator the past three seasons, helping the Irish advance to the 2024 national title game, where they lost to Ohio State, 34-23. Notre Dame allowed the fourth-fewest points per game in FBS last season at 15.5.
The Bengals parted ways with former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after he’d served as the team’s DC from 2019 to 2024. The Colts hired Anarumo to the same position on Tuesday.
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This will be Golden’s first job as an NFL coordinator. He spent two seasons on head coach Zac Taylor’s staff in Cincinnati, as a linebackers coach in 2020 and 2021 prior to taking the Notre Dame job in 2022. Before that, he spent time on both sides of the ball (linebackers and tight ends) as an assistant coach with the Detroit Lions, from 2016 to 2019.
Golden was also the head coach at Temple (2006-2010) and Miami (2011-15), after working his way up as a college assistant since the mid-1990s at various stops.
The Bengals missed the playoffs at 9-8, in spite of a late-season run. The defense, which was a major problem much of the 2024 season, ranked 25th in both yards and points allowed. That unit also had a poor showing in 2023, leading to a change.
With Golden on staff in 2020 and 2021, the Bengals enjoyed their best defensive success — and team success — in the Taylor era. They reached Super Bowl LVI in 2020 and the AFC Championship Game in 2021, when they finished with the sixth-fewest points allowed.