Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden has coached his last game with the Fighting Irish on Monday night. According to multiple reports, the Cincinnati Bengals are finalizing a deal with Golden to make him their next defensive coordinator.

Al Golden agreed to return to the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday after three seasons as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator.

After losing in the CFP final, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's defensive coordinator has his sights set on the NFL, and one team is already interested.

Cincinnati is finalizing a deal to hire Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden to run its defense. Golden helped lead the Fighting Irish to Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game where they lost to Ohio State. He is expected to officially sign with the team on Thursday.

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

Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden is on the heels of an NFL job after the Fighting Irish lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday.

ATLANTA -- Al Golden orchestrated a Notre Dame defense that ranked top 10 nationally across myriad categories and spurred the Fighting Irish's run to Monday night's College Football Playoff Championship.

After days of reports and speculation following Notre Dame’s national championship loss to Ohio State, the Cincinnati Bengals announced on Thursday afternoon that Golden has been hired as the team’s next defensive coordinator.

Let's take a look back at Sports Illustrated's best images and coverage from the Buckeyes' championship night.

Under Bowden and head coach Marcus Freeman's guidance in 2024-25, Notre Dame finished 14-2 on a campaign that included a dominant 13-game win streak. The Fighting Irish's loss to Ohio State in the CFP National Championship on Monday night was their first since September 7.

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins will forgo his senior season and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, he announced Friday.