The Bengals hired Al Golden as their new defensive coordinator late last week and they’ve started to fill out the rest of their defensive staff.
The team announced the hiring of defensive line coach/run game coordinator Jerry Montgomery and linebackers coach Mike Hodges on Monday.
Montgomery coached the defensive line in New England during the 2024 season and he spent the previous nine seasons on the Packers’ coaching staff. He was the defensive line coach for most of that tenure and added the run game coordinator title in his last two years with the team.
Hodges spent the last eight seasons with the Saints. He was their linebackers coach for the last five years.
One day at a time, the expiration of the Bengals’ lease at Paycor Stadium is getting closer and closer. It runs out next year, and landlord and tenant haven’t been getting along.
As explained by Chris Wetterich of the Cincinnati Business Courier, “tumult” exists between the two sides, which (as Wetterich puts it) “raises the obvious question about whether the Bengals have a decades-long future in Cincinnati.”
In July 2024, the Bengals pulled all extension offers and stopped negotiations. Earlier this month, the process resumed, “but tensions remain.”
Primary sticking points include the duration of a new deal and the contribution to be made by Hamilton County.
The Bengals believe that nearly $500 million in improvements identified in April 2022 should have already begun.
In September, the county submitted a framework for talks, which omitted key factors like length of extension and dollars. Generally, the money would come from a local sales tax, Ohio, the NFL, and the team.
As the saying goes, deadlines spur action. For now, a pretty important deadline is coming, and the Bengals don’t have any real alternatives that don’t involve packing up and leaving town.
The Bengals have made it official with their new defensive coordinator.
Cincinnati announced that the club has hired Al Golden for the role.
“Al is a very highly regarded coach, and we are excited to welcome him back to the Bengals as defensive coordinator,” head coach Zac Taylor said in a statement released by the team. “He understands football at every level and has had great success as a coordinator, position coach, and head coach. Al has a great football mind and will bring a smart, physical, aggressive approach to our defense.”
Reports emerged that Golden, who spent the last three seasons as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, was the frontrunner to replace former coordinator Lou Anarumo. Golden then interviewed the Bengals after Notre Dame lost the CFP National Championship Game earlier this week and subsequently informed the program he was departing.
Golden was previously the Bengals’ linebackers coach under Taylor from 2020-2021.
The Associated Press has announced the finalists for the eight awards that will be given out as part of the NFL Honors show on February 6.
The marquee award is the Most Valuable Player prize and the consensus has been for some time that the award will go to either Bills quarterback Josh Allen or Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson’s bid got a boost when he was voted a first-team All-Pro, but we’ll have to wait a little longer before finding out if voters also put him ahead of Allen on their MVP ballots.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, and Lions quarterback Jared Goff are the other finalists.
Barkley, Burrow, and Jackson are also finalists for the offensive player of the year award. Ravens running back Derrick Henry and Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase round out the contenders for that prize.
Burrow is a three-time finalist as he’s also up for comeback player of the year. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Bills safety Damar Hamlin, and Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins join him in that category.
The other award finalists are:
Coach of the Year
Dan Campbell, Lions; Kevin O’Connell, Vikings; Sean Payton, Broncos; Dan Quinn, Commanders; and Andy Reid, Chiefs.
Assistant Coach of the Year
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady; Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio; Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores; Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn; and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Defensive Player of the Year
Eagles linebacker Zack Baun; Browns defensive end Myles Garrett; Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson; Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II; and Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, and Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, Rams defensive lineman Braden Fiske, Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, Dolphins linebacker Chop Robinson, and Rams linebacker Jared Verse.
The Jets have found their head coach, now they need to find their General Manager.
Aaron Glenn has agreed to a deal to coach the team and their search for a G.M. to work with him will expand to include at least two more interviews. According to multiple reports, the team will have second interviews with Broncos assistant G.M. Darren Mougey and Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown.
The Jets had Commanders assistant G.M. Lance Newmark in for a second interview this week and his prior work with the Lions while Glenn was in Detroit suggested that they might come in as a package.
That’s not the case at this point and the Jets may be headed in a different direction when all is said and done.
