Report: Notre Dame's Al Golden, Bengals Finalizing DC Contract After Lou Anarumo Exit

The Cincinnati Bengals are finalizing terms with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden to bring him aboard in the same position on head coach Zac Taylor's staff, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Golden will replace Lou Anarumo, the former Bengals' DC who was let go after six seasons. Anarumo has since agreed to terms to be the Indianapolis Colts' defensive coordinator.

The 55-year-old Golden has been coaching since 1993. He notably turned around Temple's program, turning an 0-11 team the year prior to his arrival (2005) into a 9-4 squad with a bowl game berth in just four short years.

Golden left for Miami in 2011, but the Hurricanes were up-and-down, going 32-25 in his four-plus years before the team parted ways with him.

He then went to the NFL as a position coach with the Detroit Lions (tight ends in 2016 and 2017, linebackers in 2018 and 2019). Golden then left to become the Bengals' linebackers coach (2020-2021) before leaving to become Notre Dame's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2022.

The Fighting Irish defense has excelled, finishing seventh in points allowed in 2023 and fifth in 2024. Notre Dame also went 14-2 en route to finishing as the national runner-up behind Ohio State.

That obviously got Golden noticed, and now the Bengals are bringing him back to Cincinnati in hopes of turning around a defense that was 25th in scoring and yards allowed last year.