The Notre Dame Fighting Irish saw their season come to a disappointing end on Monday night when they fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff national championship game. And as the team looks to bounce back from the loss, it sounds like they will have to move on without one of their top coaches.
According to a report from Pete Nakos of On3, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is set to leave the team to become the next defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals, as long as his formal interview with the team goes well.
“Notre Dame’s Al Golden is expected to interview with Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor in the next 48 hours for the defensive coordinator opening, sources tell On3. The current expectation is Golden will be the Bengals’ next defensive coordinator if all goes as planned,” Nakos wrote for On3.
“A source told On3 on Saturday that Golden has not yet interviewed for the opening as his focus has been on Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff run. But now after the national championship game, the Bengals are going all-in on the 55-year-old defensive coordinator who is their top candidate.”
The Bengals are in need of a new defensive coordinator after firing former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo along with a few other defensive assistants earlier this season following a poor showing from the Bengals defense throughout most of the 2024-25 season.
We’ll have to see who Notre Dame looks to target to fill this position with Golden on the way out.
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