Notre Dame Loses DC Al Golden After National Championship Game
01/22/2025 05:08 PM
When Notre Dame hired Marcus Freeman as their full-time head coach with no prior head coaching experience, the school made sure to pair him with an experienced hand in veteran defensive coordinator Al Golden.
But after leading Notre Dame to the cusp of a national championship and several years of elite defense beside, Golden is heading for greener pastures.
On Wednesday, ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported that Golden has informed Notre Dame that he is leaving the school. Per the report, he is returning to the NFL to become the new defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals, replacing the recently dismissed Lou Anarumo.
"Sources: Notre Dame DC Al Golden is expected to become the Cincinnati Bengals next defensive coordinator. He's informed Notre Dame officials of his decision," Thamel wrote on X.
Sources: Notre Dame DC Al Golden is expected to become the Cincinnati Bengals next defensive coordinator. He's informed Notre Dame officials of his decision. pic.twitter.com/IKjXJ1rTtE
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 22, 2025
Prior to joining the Fighting Irish in 2022, Golden served as the Bengals' linebackers coach from 2020 to 2021. During his run in Cincinnati, Golden assisted the Bengals in reaching the Super Bowl during the 2021 season. He was hired by the Fighting Irish mere days after their Super Bowl loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Before working for the Bengals, Golden had spent the previous four years as an assistant coach for the Detroit Lions, coaching tight ends from 2016 to 2017 and linebackers from 2018 to 2019.
The decade before, Golden worked as a college football head coach. From 2011 to 2015, he was head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, going 32-25 while going 17-18 in the ACC.
Prior to that, he was the head coach at Temple from 2006 to 2010, where he went 27-34 but led the team to bowl eligibility in 2009.
Golden's coaching experience extends another decade-plus, with stops at Virginia, Penn State (his alma mater), Boston College and Red Bank Catholic High School in his native New Jersey.
He is going to be a tough man to replace in South Bend, especially with the coaching carousel long-since ended and many of the top candidates for high-ranking jobs already picking their spots for the 2025 season.
Notre Dame should be able to find a suitable replacement, but in a sport with so much turnover on a yearly basis, the Fighting Irish defense may look extremely different next fall.
Related: Marcus Freeman Named Coach To Watch' In Upcoming NFL Hiring Cycle
