Al Golden is in his second season as the Bengals' defensive coordinator and his 34th as a coach in 2026. A former linebackers coach for the Bengals from 2020-21, he returned to Cincinnati in '25 after three years ('22-24) as defensive coordinator at Notre Dame.
In 2025, Golden led the Bengals' defense to improvement in nearly every statistical metric following the team's bye in Week 10. Cincinnati allowed an average of 9.3 fewer points over its final eight games compared to the first nine, while yielding 97.1 fewer total yards in that span. Over the season's final eight weeks, the Bengals ranked seventh in the NFL in points allowed per game (17.9), tied for fifth in takeaways (12) and fifth in third-down percentage (36.3). Golden worked with a young core that included third-year CB DJ Turner II, who tied for third leaguewide with 18 PDs.
Golden oversaw one of college football's top defenses over his three years at Notre Dame, where he additionally held the title of linebackers coach from '22-23. In 2024, he was recognized with the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach, after helping the Fighting Irish rank second in Division I both in scoring defense (14.3 points allowed) and total defense (298.3 yards allowed). The unit held 12 opponents to 17 or fewer points, helping Notre Dame to a 14-2 record and the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Golden's 2023 defense ranked second nationally in opponent red zone scoring percentage (70.6) and fourth in passing yards allowed (154.2), while in 2022 Notre Dame averaged 2.92 sacks per game (15th in nation).
In his first stint with the Bengals, Golden was pivotal in developing the young LB tandem of Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt. In 2021, Wilson led the team in tackles (98) and INTs (four), then culminated his breakout campaign with a pick late in the Divisional Playoff at Tennessee to set up the game-winning FG drive. The previous week, Pratt clinched Cincinnati's first playoff win in 31 years with an INT in the closing seconds of a Wild Card contest against Las Vegas.
Golden joined the Bengals after four seasons (2016-19) with the Detroit Lions, where he was TEs coach from '16-17 and LBs coach from '18-19.
Golden spent the previous 23 seasons in the college ranks, including 10 as a head coach — Temple University from 2006-10, and Miami (Fla.) from '11-15. He won the 2009 MAC Coach of the Year while at Temple, and the '13 Lombardi Award for Excellence in Coaching while at Miami. He was named to the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame's class of 2020.
Golden led Miami to a bowl game in each of five seasons in Coral Gables. At Temple, he led the Owls to winning records in each of his final two seasons, after the program had just two winning campaigns over the previous 26 years. His 2009 Temple team won nine games and made its first bowl appearance since 1979 with a trip to the EagleBank Bowl.
In 2001, Golden became the youngest defensive coordinator in FBS (formerly Division 1-A) when he was hired for that role at the University of Virginia. He spent five seasons (2001-05) with the Cavaliers.
Golden broke into coaching as offensive coordinator at Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic High School, his alma mater, in 1993. He then served as a graduate assistant at Virginia from 1995-96, was LBs coach at Boston College from '97-99, and was LBs coach/recruiting coordinator at alma mater Penn State in 2000.
Golden was a three-year letter winner and two-year starting TE at Penn State. He served as a team captain of former head coach Joe Paterno's 1991 squad that won the Fiesta Bowl. He went on to play for the New England Patriots in 1992, before turning his attention to coaching.
Golden was born July 4, 1969, in Colts Neck, N.J. A standout player at Red Bank Catholic, he was inducted into the Jersey Shore Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He earned his bachelor's degree in pre-law from Penn State in 1991, then received his master's in sports psychology from Virginia in '96. Golden and his wife, Kelly, have three children — son A.J., and daughters Addison and Grace.
Playing and coaching history: 1988-91—Played TE at Penn State. 1992—Played TE with New England Patriots. 1993—Assistant coach (AC) in New Jersey high school ranks. 1994-96—Graduate assistant coach, Virginia. 1997-99—AC, Boston College. 2000—AC, Penn State. 2001-05—Defensive coordinator, Virginia. 2006-10—Head coach, Temple. 2011-15—Head coach, Miami (Fla.). 2016-19—AC, Detroit Lions. 2020-21—AC, Cincinnati Bengals. 2022-24—Defensive coordinator, Notre Dame. 2025-present—Defensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals.
