Golden, 55, will get his first chance to be a defensive coordinator at the professional level after previously spending six years as an NFL assistant. Two of those seasons (2020-21) were as linebackers coach for the Bengals under former coordinator Lou Anarumo, hired this week as DC for the Indianapolis Colts after the Bengals dismissed him.

According to ESPN, Golden informed Notre Dame officials of his decision on Wednesday afternoon.

In a bit of symmetry, Golden left the Bengals for Notre Dame after losing in the Super Bowl to the Los Angeles Rams in February 2022. Golden’s 42^nd and final game on the Irish sideline for coach Marcus Freeman was Monday’s 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship.

Golden is one of five finalists for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. Despite some late-season leakage, an injury-marred Irish defense finished tied for fourth in FBS scoring defense at 15.5 points per game.

Notre Dame (14-2) led the nation with 33 takeaways, scored six defensive touchdowns, and led all Power Four teams in turnover margin (plus-18).

Al Golden: To Notre Dame football defense, veteran coordinator is the ‘Godfather’

Defensive pass-game coordinator Mike Mickens, 37, and defensive run-game coordinator Al Washington, 40, give Freeman a strong pair of in-house options as Golden’s replacement. Mickens, architect of the nation’s top pass-efficiency defense the past two years, has known Freeman for more than two decades, dating to their time at Wayne High School in Ohio.

Notre Dame football defensive coordinator Al Golden on his consistency

Notre Dame football defensive coordinator Al Golden, speaking before the Orange Bowl against Penn State, on being ‘disciplined to a fault.’

“He’s not just a great evaluator, but he’s a great teacher,” Freeman said of Mickens on Dec. 31 at the Sugar Bowl. “He develops some of the talent that he has in the room. He’s ready to be a defensive coordinator when he gets the right opportunity, but I’m not super excited to see him leaving our defensive coaching staff at any point soon.”

Signed last offseason to a contract extension through 2027, Golden paired with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, 60, to give the Irish an accomplished and proven set of play callers. Both coordinators reportedly earn north of $2 million per year, near the top of the pay scale at the college level.

Vic Fangio of the Philadelphia Eagles and Mike Zimmer of the Dallas Cowboys, both former NFL head coaches, sit atop the NFL salary structure for defensive gurus. Fangio reportedly earns $4.5 million a year, while Zimmer is at $4 million.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is at $3.5 million a year, followed by Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles ($2.4 million) and Seattle’s Aden Durde ($2 million).

Tommy Rees, Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator from 2020-22, was recently promoted to the same role with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. Golden and Rees will see each other twice a year as division rivals in the AFC North.

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.