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

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.

The Cincinnati Bengals plan to hire a new defensive coordinator with Al Golden this week, yet the process has come under fire. While Zac Taylor and the Bengals’ familiarity with Golden and vice versa is a good thing and might be the right fit right now, it’s hard to blame those onlookers who feel that the process itself was an issue.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Wednesday afternoon that Golden, the defensive coordinator for Notre Dame this season, has informed the school of his decision to join the Bengals.

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.

Former Red Bank Catholic star Al Golden, fresh off Notre Dame's run to the CFP title game, is returning to the NFL as Bengals defensive coordinator

The Cincinnati Bengals have hired Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden as the next defensive coordinator of the franchise, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Wednesday. Golden currently serves as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator after two years on head coach Zac Taylor’s staff from 2020-21.

The Cincinnati Bengals announced the hiring of Al Golden as their new defensive coordinator on Thursday. Golden, 55, spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame.

The Cincinnati Bengals didn't want a bronze or silver candidate to be their new defensive coordinator; only a Golden opportunity piqued head coach Zac Taylor's interest. Al Golden is back in Cincinnati and beginning the process of applying everything he's learned from the past three years of leading Notre Dame's defense.

New Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden arrives with some key strengths of his own. His predecessor, Lou Anarumo, had an almost uncanny ability to throw out a by-the-opponent amoeba defense and give quarterbacks as Patrick Mahomes fits.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is expected to join the Bengals in the same role, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Wednesday. The news comes days after the Fighting Irish lost to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff championship game, the school's first title shot of the century.