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Newsstand: Notre Dame DC Al Golden listed as candidate for NFL opening

Singer headshotby:Mike Singer•01/07/25•

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Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden. (Photo by Mike Miller/BGI)

When Marcus Freeman became Notre Dame’s head coach in Dec. 2021, he needed to hire a defensive coordinator to replace him. He went to the NFL to do so, grabbing Al Golden from the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 55-year-old has done a masterful job leading Notre Dame’s defense, and it’s been widely assumed that he’ll be mentioned as a candidate for other college head coach openings and NFL defensive coordinator jobs in the offseason following the Irish’s College Football Playoff run.

And The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. listed Golden as among the candidates he’s hearing for the Bengals’ defensive coordinator opening. On Monday, Cincinnati fired Lou Anarumo, who held the same position.

Golden worked as the Bengals’ linebackers coach for the 2020 and 2021 seasons under head coach Zac Taylor, so there’s a strong familiarity there. While the information is not made public due to Notre Dame being a private institution, Golden is considered one of the highest-paid coordinators in college football. But the allure of the NFL could be enticing if he’s offered the job. Only time will tell.

Golden spent 2016-19 on the Detroit Lions’ staff as the tight ends coach and linebackers coach, serving two years in each capacity. He’s known best for his college head-coaching stints at Miami (2011-15) and Temple (2006-10). He went 32-25 with the Hurricanes, with his best season (9-4) in 2013. He was fired on Oct. 26, 2015 following a 58-0 loss to Clemson and 4-3 start to the season.

At Temple, Golden went 17-8 in his final two seasons, with a 12-4 record in Mid-American Conference games. The Owls tied for first in the East Division in 2009.

Golden’s previous stint as a defensive coordinator was at Virginia from 2001-05. He was the youngest defensive coordinator in the FBS at the time of his hiring. Prior to that, he was Penn State’s linebackers coach in 2000 and held the same role at Boston College from 1997-99. He spent three years (1994-96) as a grad assistant at Virginia and began his coaching career at his alma mater, Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic High School, as the offensive coordinator in 1993.

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“It should be a tremendous matchup between Penn State and Notre Dame. Two teams that have been really, really solid down the stretch. (They) have been hot as can be in the last few weeks of the season. So, I’m really looking forward to being on the call when that game gets underway. It should be amazing.”

— Former Alabama quarterback and current ESPN analyst Greg McElroy

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