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Report: Penn State Grad Al Golden to be Bengalsโ€™ DC

Looks like former Penn State TE and current Notre Dame DC Al Golden could be returning to the NFL.
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 28: Notre Dame Fighting Irish Defensive Coordinator Al Golden talks into his headset in action during a game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 28, 2024 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire)Sportswire)

Former Penn State tight end Al Golden is returning to the NFL, where heโ€™ll be the Bengalsโ€™ defensive coordinator.

Per a report by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Golden has accepted the Cincinnati job.

This will be his second stint with the Bengals.

Previously, Golden was the linebackers coach for Cincy, a job he held over the 2020-21 seasons.

After that, he retuned to the college ranks, where he became Notre Dameโ€™s defensive coordinator.

This past season, he was a big reason Notre Dane made it to the national championship game. His unit ended the year ranked second in the country in scoring defense.

COULD THERE HAVE BEEN A REUNION?

Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno

08 October 2011: Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Joe Paterno answers questions from the media following a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, PA. The Penn State Nittany Lions would defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes 13-3.

Some Penn State fans felt that there was a chance Golden would return to his Alma Mater as the schoolโ€™s defensive coordinator. The job became vacant last week when Tom Allen departed for the same position at Clemson. But thereโ€™s no evidence ย a reunion with Golden was close to happening. Itโ€™s seemed clear for a while that Golden would either stay with head coach Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame or return to the NFL.

WHAT ABOUT THE PSU DC JOB?

Penn State is reportedly looking at a Big Ten name for its vacant defensive coordinator position.

Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now

So what about the Penn State defensive coordinator job? For whatever itโ€™s worth, the Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Equity and Human Resources has scheduled meetings for Friday, Jan. 24 and Monday, Jan. 27.

Could this mean Penn State is on the verge of hiring a defensive coordinator?

Who knows, and itโ€™s certainly not a guarantee that this is the case.

When word got out that the trustees had scheduled meetings for Friday, Jan. 17, and Monday, Jan. 20, many thought this might be a sign that a hire was near. But that didnโ€™t turn out to be the case, and the search is now going on 10 days. This is the second consecutive winter in which head coach James Franklin and company are searching for a defensive coordinator.

PSU opens the 2025 season Aug. 30 against Nevada at Beaver Stadium.

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