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.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is expected to join the Bengals in the same role, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Wednesday.

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.

The Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator job has been open for more than two weeks now, but there hasn't been much movement on a possible hiring and now we know why: The team was waiting for Notre Dame to finish its season.

Al Golden agreed to return to Cincinnati on Wednesday after three seasons as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced. More: 3 Wolverines, 3 ex-Spartans make ESPN list of top 100 college football players from '24-25

As Notre Dame searches for a new defensive coordinator, one former NFL safety believes the right choice is already in place.

Al Golden may very well be the cure to what has been ailing the Cincinnati Bengals defensively. In the wake of him leaving Zac Taylor's staff to become Marcus F

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

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

Al Golden accomplished a ton in three years at Notre Dame but now the Irish must replace him as he's on his way back to the NFL. Who might they find to do that

Unfortunately, the smoke surrounding now former Notre Dame football defensive coordinator al golden turned out to be true. According to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Golden will take the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator position and has already informed head coach Marcus Freeman that he will be moving on.