“Imagine last season’s Bengals with a league-average defense. That’s not just a playoff team. That’s a team that could have beaten the Ravens, Bills, Chiefs or any other AFC contender in any playoff environment. The Bengals’ defensive depth chart remains a substantial impediment to their ascension to league average, but outgoing coordinator Lou Anarumo ran a system renowned for its complexity and need for quality communication, something that many young defenders in Cincinnati struggled to grasp.<\/p>\n
“Could Golden, who just worked with young players for three years at Notre Dame, offer a quick boost to early draft picks like Dax Hill or Myles Murph by simplifying their roles? I’m not betting on a big leap in the Bengals’ defense, but it is at least in the cards.”<\/p>\n
New Bengals Coach Identified as One to Watch in 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\nA Proven Track Record of Defensive Excellence<\/h3>\n
Golden\u2019s coaching journey is distinguished by a series of transformative stops. His most recent stint as Notre Dame\u2019s defensive coordinator saw the Irish finish as one of the top units in the nation, allowing just 15.5 points per game and reaching the 2024 national title game. Despite falling to Ohio State, Golden\u2019s defenses at Notre Dame were known for their physicality, discipline, and adaptability \u2014 qualities the Bengals sorely lacked during a 2024 campaign that saw their defense ranked 25th in both yards and points allowed.<\/p>\n
Golden\u2019s earlier NFL experience includes a successful run as the Bengals\u2019 linebackers coach from 2020 to 2021, a period that coincided with the team\u2019s Super Bowl run and a defense that ranked among the league\u2019s best in points allowed. His familiarity with head coach Zac Taylor and the Bengals\u2019 organizational culture is expected to smooth his transition and accelerate the implementation of his vision.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/USATSI_26104484_168400545_lowres-1024x683.jpg\")
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill (92) demonstrates a drill to teammates during practice, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at the Kettering Health Practice Field in Downtown Cincinnati.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Philosophy of Smart, Physical, and Adaptable Defense<\/h3>\n
Al Golden\u2019s defensive philosophy is rooted in a commitment to fundamentals and adaptability. He emphasizes detailed preparation in the offseason, believing that a demanding and organized spring sets the foundation for fast, instinctive play during the season. \u201cI\u2019m not a big believer in drawing up something crazy on a Thursday night,\u201d Golden has said, stressing the importance of a well-developed play menu that endures throughout the year.<\/p>\n
His approach to fixing the Bengals\u2019 tackling issues is methodical<\/a>: \u201cWe are going to teach it. We are going to drill it. We are going to quality control it… We\u2019ll repeat that process until it is refined and owned by the players. For that to happen, it has to move from their head to their heart. If they can get to the point we all believe in the same thing and start to see it on tape, that\u2019s when the magic happens.\u201d<\/p>\nWhile Golden favors 4-3 and 4-2 nickel alignments, he resists rigid schemes, preferring to tailor his system to the strengths of his personnel and remain flexible in response to opponents. His focus on communication, especially in the secondary<\/a>, and his insistence on high standards for tackling and defending the deep ball signal a shift toward a more aggressive and accountable unit.<\/p>\nRaising the Standard<\/h3>\n
Golden\u2019s arrival comes with high expectations. He has made it clear that his goal is not merely to elevate the Bengals\u2019 defense to mediocrity but to match the standard of elite teams competing for championships. His blend of NFL and collegiate experience, leadership skills, and commitment to player development positions him as a catalyst for a defensive turnaround in Cincinnati.<\/p>\n
If Golden\u2019s philosophy takes hold, the Bengals\u2019 defense could become a smart, physical, and adaptable force\u2014one capable of supporting the team\u2019s high-powered offense and driving Cincinnati back into playoff contention<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAnarumo was able to field a solid defense with a plethora of veteran free agent additions, but struggled with young draft picks. Golden gets to take over with plenty of young talent on whom the Bengals used premium draft capital. Myles Murphy<\/a>, Joseph Ossai<\/a>, Shemar Stewart<\/a>, Kris Jenkins<\/a>, McKinnley Jackson<\/a>, Logan Wilson<\/a>, Demetrius Knight Jr.<\/a>, Dax Hill<\/a>, Jordan Battle<\/a>, Cam Taylor-Britt<\/a>, and DJ Turner<\/a> were all third-round picks or better. 11 of the Bengals’ defenders were their own premium picks. Then add in Trey Hendrickson<\/a>, who was a third-round pick for the New Orleans Saints, and Cincinnati should<\/em> be one of the best defenses out there.<\/p>\nNow, this talent is Al Golden’s to play around with.<\/p>\n
Main Image: Frank Bowen IV\/The Enquirer \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After three successful seasons leading the Notre Dame defense, old friend Al Golden returns to Cincinnati to get the train back on track.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4051,"featured_media":235084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[54,7,1647],"tags":[33213,7725],"class_list":["post-234601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorials","category-bengals","category-nfl-draft","tag-al-golden","tag-cincinnati-bengals-news"],"modified_by":"Drew Crabtree","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4051"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234601"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":235086,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234601\/revisions\/235086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
A Proven Track Record of Defensive Excellence<\/h3>\n
Golden\u2019s coaching journey is distinguished by a series of transformative stops. His most recent stint as Notre Dame\u2019s defensive coordinator saw the Irish finish as one of the top units in the nation, allowing just 15.5 points per game and reaching the 2024 national title game. Despite falling to Ohio State, Golden\u2019s defenses at Notre Dame were known for their physicality, discipline, and adaptability \u2014 qualities the Bengals sorely lacked during a 2024 campaign that saw their defense ranked 25th in both yards and points allowed.<\/p>\n
Golden\u2019s earlier NFL experience includes a successful run as the Bengals\u2019 linebackers coach from 2020 to 2021, a period that coincided with the team\u2019s Super Bowl run and a defense that ranked among the league\u2019s best in points allowed. His familiarity with head coach Zac Taylor and the Bengals\u2019 organizational culture is expected to smooth his transition and accelerate the implementation of his vision.<\/p>\n Al Golden\u2019s defensive philosophy is rooted in a commitment to fundamentals and adaptability. He emphasizes detailed preparation in the offseason, believing that a demanding and organized spring sets the foundation for fast, instinctive play during the season. \u201cI\u2019m not a big believer in drawing up something crazy on a Thursday night,\u201d Golden has said, stressing the importance of a well-developed play menu that endures throughout the year.<\/p>\n His approach to fixing the Bengals\u2019 tackling issues is methodical<\/a>: \u201cWe are going to teach it. We are going to drill it. We are going to quality control it… We\u2019ll repeat that process until it is refined and owned by the players. For that to happen, it has to move from their head to their heart. If they can get to the point we all believe in the same thing and start to see it on tape, that\u2019s when the magic happens.\u201d<\/p>\n While Golden favors 4-3 and 4-2 nickel alignments, he resists rigid schemes, preferring to tailor his system to the strengths of his personnel and remain flexible in response to opponents. His focus on communication, especially in the secondary<\/a>, and his insistence on high standards for tackling and defending the deep ball signal a shift toward a more aggressive and accountable unit.<\/p>\n Golden\u2019s arrival comes with high expectations. He has made it clear that his goal is not merely to elevate the Bengals\u2019 defense to mediocrity but to match the standard of elite teams competing for championships. His blend of NFL and collegiate experience, leadership skills, and commitment to player development positions him as a catalyst for a defensive turnaround in Cincinnati.<\/p>\n If Golden\u2019s philosophy takes hold, the Bengals\u2019 defense could become a smart, physical, and adaptable force\u2014one capable of supporting the team\u2019s high-powered offense and driving Cincinnati back into playoff contention<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Anarumo was able to field a solid defense with a plethora of veteran free agent additions, but struggled with young draft picks. Golden gets to take over with plenty of young talent on whom the Bengals used premium draft capital. Myles Murphy<\/a>, Joseph Ossai<\/a>, Shemar Stewart<\/a>, Kris Jenkins<\/a>, McKinnley Jackson<\/a>, Logan Wilson<\/a>, Demetrius Knight Jr.<\/a>, Dax Hill<\/a>, Jordan Battle<\/a>, Cam Taylor-Britt<\/a>, and DJ Turner<\/a> were all third-round picks or better. 11 of the Bengals’ defenders were their own premium picks. Then add in Trey Hendrickson<\/a>, who was a third-round pick for the New Orleans Saints, and Cincinnati should<\/em> be one of the best defenses out there.<\/p>\n Now, this talent is Al Golden’s to play around with.<\/p>\n Main Image: Frank Bowen IV\/The Enquirer \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After three successful seasons leading the Notre Dame defense, old friend Al Golden returns to Cincinnati to get the train back on track.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4051,"featured_media":235084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[54,7,1647],"tags":[33213,7725],"class_list":["post-234601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorials","category-bengals","category-nfl-draft","tag-al-golden","tag-cincinnati-bengals-news"],"modified_by":"Drew Crabtree","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4051"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234601"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":235086,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234601\/revisions\/235086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}A Philosophy of Smart, Physical, and Adaptable Defense<\/h3>\n
Raising the Standard<\/h3>\n