Losing to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship is bad enough, but losing, 34-23, and looking overmatched in the process ... well, that wasn't good.

Wednesday afternoon, the Cincinnati Bengals hired former Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden to the same role. Golden returns to Cincinnati, where he was the linebackers coach in 2021.

The Cincinnati Bengals seem like a team with eyes for Al Golden as the next defensive coordinator, at least once he wraps up his season with Notre Dame on Monday night in the title game. Golden, though, has previously shot down the idea of joining the Bengals due to his focus on Notre Dame’s College Football playoff push.

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

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.

Less than 48 hours after Notre Dame lost the College Football Playoff National Championship, Al Golden is going to the NFL and joining the Cincinnati Bengals as their next defensive coordinator. He’s accepted the role,

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

Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals will have a familiar face as their next defensive coordinator. Al Golden agreed to return to Cincinnati on Wednesday after three seasons as Notre Dame’s

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish saw their season come to a disappointing end on Monday night when they fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff national championship game. And as the team looks to bounce back from the loss,

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is reportedly leaving Notre Dame after three seasons. According to numerous reports on Wednesday, Golden is expected to return to the Cincinnati Bengals as the team’s defensive coordinator.