After the vacancy opened up, the Cincinnati Bengals have decided on their next defensive coordinator, with the expectation to hire former Bengals linebackers coach Al Golden, who is currently the defensive coordinator for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This comes after Cincinnati fired Lou Amarunso following a disappointing 2024 season in which they failed to reach the NFL Playoffs. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts have recently brought Amarunso on board.
On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Golden is a likely candidate for the Bengals’ vacancy and is expected to interview for the position, with a hiring anticipated soon. Prior to his tenure at Notre Dame, Golden served as the Bengals’ linebackers coach from 2020 to 2021. He joined the Irish coaching staff in 2022, maintaining the same role before stepping up as defensive coordinator this past season, where he achieved remarkable success.
Under Golden’s leadership, the Irish defense ranked in the Top 5 in several categories and allowed the fewest passing yards per game in FBS, demonstrating his capability in the role. Meanwhile, the Bengals, who reached the AFC Championship Games in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, have struggled to sustain that success, missing the playoffs in the last two seasons amid increasing pressure, especially with key players like Tee Higgins due for new contracts. Despite these challenges, Cincinnati hopes to see significant defensive improvements with this new hire.
