NOTRE DAME — Following a successful playoff run in 2024, members of Marcus Freeman’s coaching staff are destined to be popular targets for teams looking to fill vacancies. And less than 48 hours removed from the national championship game, the first change is imminent. ESPN is reporting that defensive coordinator Al Golden has informed Notre Dame that he will take the same position with the Cincinnati Bengals.

This has been rumored for days. Golden was on the Bengals defensive staff in 2021 when they last made the Super Bowl.https://t.co/i3oMNsWi2J

— Pete Byrne WSBT (@PeteByrneSports) January 22, 2025

Golden’s defense ranked among the top 10 in the FBS in the follow categories during the regular season: No. 1 in team passing efficiency (94.10), No. 3 in scoring (13.6 points allowed per game), No. 6 in fourth-down conversion percentage (34.3), No. 7 in third-down conversion percentage (30.6), No. 7 in first downs allowed (197), No. 9 in red-zone defense (73.3% scoring allowed) and No. 9 in total defense (296.8 yards allowed per game). The Irish also led the country in turnovers gained at 28.

Perhaps more importantly, Golden acted as a sounding board for Marcus Freeman, during his first three seasons as a head coach. Golden himself has head coaching experience at both Temple (2006 – 10) and Miami (2011-15).

Golden will return to Cincinnati as the defensive coordinator, after a previous stint as the linebackers coach in 2020 and 2021, where he helped lead the Bengals to the Super Bowl during the 2021 season.