Al Golden to Bengals: 3 reasons Notre Dame DC is perfect NFL fit
Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden is joining the Cincinnati Bengals in the same capacity for 2025. The Bengals let longtime coordinator Lou Anarumo go after the defense collapsed in 2024 and ranked 25th in total defense and points allowed.
The new Bengals DC led Notre Dame to finish the season tenth in total defense, with 307.8 yards per game allowed. The Irish also allowed the lowest completion percentage to their opponents in 2024.
Golden is returning to the Bengals after serving as linebackers coach during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He was part of the staff when the Bengals lost Super Bowl LVI to the Los Angeles Rams. Ironically, he will also leave the Fighting Irish after falling in the title game.
Thanks to his previous experience in Cincinnati, his intangibles, and his solid body of work in both college and the pros, Al Golden looks primed for a successful return to the NFL.
3 reasons Al Golden is a good fit in Cincinnati
#1. He can adjust depending on different types of offenses
Coaching at Notre Dame gave Al Golden a chance to adjust his defensive schemes to very different kinds of opponents. This season alone, he had to prepare the gameplan for games against Texas A&M, Louisville, Georgia, Penn State, Ohio State, Army and Navy.
That means that Golden had to scheme against a wide range of offensive systems, from Army and Navy’s option attacks to Louisville’s wide-open passing game to Ohio State’s star-studded offense.
While he will be leaving on a sour note after the Buckeyes' win in the championship game, Al Golden’s unit was the key to the Fighting Irish’s title game run, and being able to adapt to different attacks should suit the Bengals perfectly.
Cincinnati plays two games a year against the Baltimore Ravens' punishing ground game, but they also face some of the league’s top quarterbacks in the AFC. Lou Anarumo’s success with the Bengals came from adjusting the game plan to different offensive systems. Golden should be able to follow suit.
#2. Al Golden knows the culture in Cincinnati
While the Bengals are believed to be a Super Bowl contender, they are also a small market team that’s historically unwilling to overspend on top-end talent in free agency.
This could be frustrating for some coaches, but Al Golden has already been in the building and knows how the organization works. He’s also worked on Zac Taylor’s staff. Having a previous relationship with the head coach and understanding what his style is should help both sides.
He will also have some important pieces in the roster and has worked with some of them already. Trey Hendrickson and Logan Wilson are among the players Goplden already knows from his time in Cincy.
#3. He can maximize young talent
Al Golden has built a reputation for maximizing talent, whether it’s as a position coach or defensive coordinator. In his previous stint with the Bengals, the former Notre Dame defensive coordinator turned Logan Wilson loose. The linebacker had his best season in the team’s Super Bowl run in 2021.
Wilson is one of the players expected to suit up for the Bengals who already worked with Golden. In South Bend, Wilson had the Fighting Irish as one of the top defensive teams in the nation, despite not having the most talent on the roster.