Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden is poised for a return to the NFL following his team's recent loss in the College Football Playoff national championship to the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Cincinnati Bengals are reportedly considering Golden as their top candidate to fill the vacant defensive coordinator position left by Lou Anarumo, who departed shortly after the season concluded. Golden previously served as the Bengals' linebackers coach from 2020 to 2021 before transitioning to Notre Dame in 2022. His extensive coaching background includes notable head coaching tenures at the University of Miami and Temple University. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor waited for the conclusion of the championship game to initiate discussions with Golden, signaling the team’s eagerness to bring him back to Cincinnati.
