The Cincinnati Bengals appear to have the man they'll entrust with fixing their broken defense.

The Bengals have hired Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden to take the same position with the franchise. It's a homecoming of sorts, as Golden was Cincinnati's linebackers coach from 2020 through '21, when he was hired to take the defensive coordinator job with the Fighting Irish. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor knows Golden well as this is the second time he's hired the 55-year-old.

Golden led an excellent Notre Dame defense that steered the team to a berth in the College Football Playoff national championship, where the Fighting Irish lost to Ohio State 34–23 on Monday. Notre Dame allowed only 14.3 points per game during the 2024 season, which ranked second in the nation. Golden's unit also finished in the top 10 in total yards allowed per game (298.3).

In 2024, Cincinnati struggled mightily on defense. It finished 25th in points allowed per game (25.5) and yards allowed per game (348.3). They were 19th in rushing defense (124.8 yards per game) and 22nd in pass defense (223.5 yards per game). Those numbers led to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo being fired.

The Bengals' defense was awful while the offense under quarterback Joe Burrow thrived. Cincinnati finished sixth in points per game (27.8) and eighth in total offense (365.5 yards per game). Golden will be expected to close that gap.

Golden has extensive college and NFL experience and was the head coach at both Temple (2006 to '10) and Miami (2011 to '15). He looks like an excellent pickup for the Bengals as they try to get their defense turned around.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bengals Hire Notre Dame DC Al Golden to Fix Defense After Rough 2024 Season.

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