The work ethic and work habits of first-year Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden developed a certain lore this spring and offseason, but he isn’t above receiving assistance. In fact, he seems to prefer it.
Supplementing Golden’s notoriously early mornings at Paycor Stadium and his passionate coaching style are what he described as frequent collaborative sessions with coaches and players. In fact, Golden said the highlight of this past offseason was when quarterback Joe Burrow sat with him for a long session of watching game tape.
“One of the best days of our offseason was when Joe came in and spent three or four hours with us,” Golden said. “Just sat there and watched tape and looked at things. That’s what’s gonna make us better.”
Any defensive coordinator would want to understand Burrow’s perspective. That’s the perspective of arguably the best quarterback in the NFL, of course.
The kind of collaboration Burrow offered might mean a little more to Golden now that training camp has arrived. Golden and his unit will be under the microscope all summer, autumn and winter because the pressure for significant year-over-year defensive improvement is tangible.
It’s generally accepted by pundits and local reporters that midseason defensive lapses in 2024-25 played a considerable role in the Bengals missing the playoffs last season. Some improvement on defense arrived late in the year, but it was too late. The Bengals needed help to make their last-ditch playoff push work, and they didn’t get it.
A year of prime, in-form, MVP-worthy Burrow was essentially wasted. The second consecutive season without a playoff berth was largely attributed to defensive failings.
That’s why now-former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was fired. It’s why Golden now presides over the defensive unit, and the Bengals are glad for that.
“One of the most prepared, diligent coaches that I’ve ever been around,” Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said. “Super detail oriented… I mean, it’s − ‘inspiring’ might be an overstate, but it is inspiring because you feel like we’ve got really smart guys led by Al. There was a sense of energy and purpose with how they went about their their job (in the spring).
“You feed off one another and I’m super happy to be around Al, be able to learn from Al. Just watch how he goes about his daily business.”
By contrast, the focal-point players in the Bengals’ offense are under-contract and healthy. The Burrow-led offense ended 2024-25 season in a flourish, too. There’s certainly a kind of pressure on Pitcher’s unit to perform at that level again, but also a prevailing confidence because they’re proven.
The onus of defensive progress within a system that’s still being installed is on Golden, and it’s go-time with training camp now underway. Cincinnati will visit the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 7 for their preseason opener.
Formative work on the defense was already accomplished in the spring during organized team activities. Golden was very pleased with the progress then, and felt just as good about it during Monday’s training camp media luncheon at Paycor Stadium.
“I was excited about how those guys pushed to learn the new system, the core fundamentals that we’re teaching, the ball disruption techniques, the tackling techniques, all that,” Golden said.
Absent for Golden at the outset of camp is 2024-25 sack champion Trey Hendrickson and edge rusher and first-round draft pick, Shemar Stewart. Both the veteran and the rookie are locked in contract disputes.
Should they arrive, both will be at different stages of preparedness for the season to come, and their respective impacts on the unit aren’t lost on Golden.
“I think the transition will be easier for Trey because we’re gonna ask him to do things that are in the realm of his skill set, whereas Shamar just really has to learn, you know, our core fundamentals and implement everything that he’s learned off the field, on the field, so that’s gonna take some time,” Golden said. “Obviously, we’d love to get them both in here as soon as we can, but we understand what they’re going through and just be as supportive as we can in the interim.”
Missing two players isn’t part of Golden’s messaging about the defense, and it likely won’t be a focus.
Both players’ respective situations loomed over team activities in the spring to some degree. Golden’s collaborative approach to overhauling his unit was a source of optimism then. It remains that at the outset of training camp.
“I think when you look at the 2025 defense, there’s gonna be a piece of every coach on our defense staff that you’ll be able to see and identify with and I think that’s what makes it better and and I can also share with this: You can’t hide that from the troops,” Golden said. “Either you have that or you don’t, and we have that.
“Players know that we have that. Players can recognize that they can feel when you don’t, and it’s exciting to go to work every day with a group of coaches, both offense, defense, special teams, where there’s collaboration and cooperation.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘Inspiring.’ Why Al Golden is excited about the Bengals’ defense as training camp begins
Reporting by Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
