Lou

Anarumo

Anarumo’s role in improving the Colts defense this season could leave him with his choice of head coaching jobs in the offseason, assuming a handful of head coaches will get the axe in January and February. The Colts are allowing the tenth lowest EPA per play this season. They’ve been particularly tough against opposing passing offenses. The Giants, meanwhile, sport one of the league’s most putrid defenses in need of a total overhaul. Anarumo, 59, served as the Giants’ defensive backs coach in 2018 before landing the Bengals’ defensive coordinator job.

Anarumo’s defensive implosion last season wasn’t enough to keep teams away this offseason. Once considered a potential head coaching candidate, the veteran coordinator saw his defense rank 25th in points and yards allowed per game last season, as their inability to keep points off the board proved to be enough to keep the Bengals out of the postseason despite MVP-caliber play from Joe Burrow. During his six seasons with the Bengals, Anarumo’s defense never ranked higher than 16th in yards allowed and ranked inside the top 15 only once in points allowed per game. Now, he’ll be tasked with taking over a Colts defense that’s ranked among the league’s worst for three straight seasons. It’s easy to argue that Anarumo was never given enough talent in Cincinnati to make him successful, but it’s also fair to wonder if the Colts will give him the players he needs to help them turn a corner.

Anarumo served as the defensive coordinator for the Bengals for the previous six seasons. After being widely regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the game, Anarumo’s Bengals struggled mightily in 2024 while allowing 25.5 points and 348.3 yards of total offense per game. Both values ranked 25th in the league during the regular season.

Earlier this week, the Bengals fired Anarumo after six seasons with the team. Anarumo’s defense ranked sixth in points allowed in 2022 but regressed in each of the last two seasons before being ousted after a disastrous 2024. Still viewed by many teams as a top defensive coordinator in the league, Anarumo is expected to land with another team for the 2025 season.

Life comes at you fast in the NFL. Two years ago, Anarumo was viewed as one of the top head coaching candidates on the market for his work in Cincinnati. Now, after an abysmal season where Anarumo’s defense ranked 25th in points and yards allowed per game, and ranked outside the top 20 in pass defense, the 58-year-old coach is now on the open market. Anarumo’s defense allowed 34 or more points in five games this season, and looked like the obvious problem for the 9-8 Bengals while Joe Burrow and the offense put up MVP caliber numbers. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports “there are several” head coaching candidates who would like to add Anarumo as their defensive coordinator, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he landed elsewhere before the start of the season. In addition to Anarumo, the Bengals also fired offensive line coach Frank Pollack, linebackers coach James Bettcher, and defensive line coach Marion Hobby.

For those keeping score at home, that would suggest Giants OC Mike Kafka is no longer in the running for the Cardinals’ head coaching vacancy. Weinfuss added in his report that the team could make a decision on its coach as early as Monday night, bringing an end to one of the longer searches of the offseason. The Cardinals have already met twice with Anarumo and are scheduled to meet with Gannon on Monday. The Cardinals struggled offensively last season even when Kyler Murray was healthy, but their defense left a lot to be desired, ranked 31st in points allowed per game (26.4) and 21st in yards allowed per game.

All three assistants have been given second interviews. It means in-house DC Vance Joseph is out, along with Lions DC Aaron Glenn and Bengals OC Brian Callahan. The Cardinals seem to be leaning toward a defensive mind, which could be very tricky seeing as the franchise’s entire future depends on someone gelling with and unlocking Kyler Murray.

Anarumo has served as the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati since 2019 and is one of the most coveted head coach candidates remaining on the market this offseason. Garafolo adds that the second interview is likely to occur late next week.

Fresh off the Bengals’ loss to Kansas City in the AFC title game, Anarumo -- one of the league’s premiere defensive schemers -- would seem to be a favorite to land the Arizona head coaching job. Anarumo would have his work cut out for him with a Cardinals defense that allowed the 12th highest EPA per play in 2022 and was one of the worst coverage units in the league from start to finish. The Bengals in 2022 ranked sixth in the league in points allowed per game (20.1) and were 16th in yards allowed per game (335.7). He would be a major loss for Zac Taylor and the Bengals. Anarumo will likely require Kyler Murray’s blessing if he’s going to land the Arizona job.

Anarumo interviewed for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy last season, but the Cardinals are the first team to request an interview with him this offseason. Anarumo joined the Bengals in 2019 as their defensive coordinator, with his defense showing steady improvement in each of his four seasons. This year, the Bengals ranked sixth in the league in points allowed per game (20.1) and were 16th in yards allowed per game (335.7). With back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game and an appearance in the Super Bowl, Anarumo has proven more than capable of building championship-caliber defenses. While the Cardinals are the first team to request an interview with Anarumo, there’s a good chance they won’t be the last.