Sources – Notre Dame’s Al Golden to return to Bengals as DC


CINCINNATI — A familiar face is headed back to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is expected to join the Bengals in the same role, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Wednesday. The news comes two days after the Fighting Irish lost to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship game.

Golden, 55, spent the past three seasons as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator. He replaces Lou Anarumo, who held the post for the past six seasons before he was fired after the Bengals missed the postseason.

This will be Golden’s second stint on Zac Taylor’s coaching staff. Before taking the job at Notre Dame, he was Cincinnati’s linebackers coach during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. During those years, Golden played an integral role in leading a defense that helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years.

See also  35 Best Gifts for Travelers 2021 and Beyond!

The Fighting Irish’s defense was a major reason why Notre Dame was a win away from its first national championship since 1988. Entering the CFP final against the Buckeyes, Notre Dame’s defense ranked fourth among Power 4 teams in points allowed per drive (1.21), according to ESPN Research.

He will be tasked with leading a Bengals defense that looks vastly different from just a couple of years ago. Staples from that Super Bowl team, including safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackle DJ Reader, departed in free agency in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Last season, Anarumo was tasked with balancing a group that featured aging veterans, injuries at key positions and inexperience at others.

Eventually, the defense figured things out during the Bengals’ five-game winning streak to close the regular season. But with Cincinnati missing the postseason for a second straight year, Taylor opted for a staff shake-up. Along with Anarumo, offensive line coach Frank Pollack and defensive line coach Marion Hobby were among those who were not retained.

On Monday, Cincinnati announced Scott Peters as Pollack’s replacement and Michael McCarthy as the assistant offensive line coach. Later in the day, Anarumo was hired as the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator.

The Bengals will need to improve a unit that finished near the bottom of the league in several key categories. Last season, Cincinnati was 26th in points allowed per drive, 30th in defensive red zone efficiency and 30th in first downs allowed per game, according to ESPN Research.

Cincinnati is trying to build around star quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase as the team looks to end a two-year playoff drought. Burrow was named to his second Pro Bowl following a career year. Chase made his fourth Pro Bowl in as many NFL seasons and joined defensive end Trey Hendrickson as the team’s first All-Pro selections since 2015.

See also  Source -- Robert Saleh returns to 49ers as defensive coordinator



Source link

Related posts:

EU Message to Zelensky: You Are Not Alone

What Greenland’s Resources Mean for the EU

EC: First disbursements from the Growth Plan for WB between the second and third quarters of this ye...

Vicepremiér P. Kmec: Slovensku sa darí čerpať peniaze najrýchlejšie spomedzi štátov EÚ

Slovenia is not inclined to condition the disbursement of cohesion funds on reforms

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever participates in second consultation on Ukraine

Belgium supports additional budgetary room for defense

Dodiku Trial: Test for the Judiciary and the European Path of BiH

Ukraine: the military effort for security in Europe will have “consequences for French public financ...

Prouza criticizes the EU’s vision for agriculture, Výborný considers it a solid foundation

EC announces that farmers will not be forced to sell their products below production costs

Šefčovič in the USA: EU wants to avoid the scenario of customs measures and countermeasures

Fico: In Paris, a meeting of friends of war is taking place, Slovakia has nothing to do there

Trump’s IVF order: Democrats allege ‘PR stunt’ as anti-abortion groups bristle 

Judge signals he’s taking time to decide on dropping Adams charges

Microsoft unveils company’s first quantum computing chip

5 things to watch at this year’s CPAC

Hochul to Trump on congestion pricing: ‘We’ll see you in court’

Acting Social Security commissioner clarifies claims about people older than 100 getting benefits

Allies troll critics with references to King Trump

Cheney: Trump is ‘antithesis of everything Ronald Reagan stood for’

USAID contractors ask judge to hold Trump admin in civil contempt for violating order to lift spendi...

DHS fires roughly 400 probationary employees

Watch: Trump gives remarks at Saudi-led investors conference in Miami

Live updates: Trump says he plans to give Americans ’20 percent’ from DOGE cost cuts

Former NFL punter arrested for protest against pro-Trump city council

Trump floats using DOGE savings to pay Americans, pay down debt

Senate GOP dismayed by Trump, Zelensky war of words

Key GOP votes withhold support from House plan despite Trump’s backing

Trump says he plans to meet with some Democrats next week

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *