When Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden shot down the idea of joining the Cincinnati Bengals as Zac Taylor fired up the search for a new one, it was hard to tell if he was just going coachspeak with his answer. Bengals fans are getting closer to finding out.

The Bengals fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo Monday. Here are three names to watch for potential replacements.

Longtime NFL defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is scheduled to interview with the #Falcons today and the #Colts on Wednesday, per sources. The #Bengals also could have interest in Martindale, who is college football’s highest-paid coordinator at Michigan. One to watch. pic.twitter.com/iV6KsWxXn0

And it’s especially evident with former head coach Matt Eberflus entering the conversation, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler: “Former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is involved in the #Bengals defensive coordinator search, per sources.”

The Atlanta Falcons said goodbye to defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake this week after just one season together. Now, they may have zeroed in on an experienced replacement, with plans to interview former Cincinnati Bengals assistant Lou Anarumo for the same position,

Anarumo spent the last six years as the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals but was let go following the 2024 season. This is the first reported interview the Falcons have scheduled since firing Jimmy Lake over the weekend.

Early this week, the Cincinnati Bengals got brought up alongside the name Wink Martindale as they continue to search for their next defensive coordinator. It was an incredibly strange bit of speculati

Just when there was noise coming from the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive coordinator search, it was shut down almost instantly. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported Monday afternoon that the Bengals "could have interest" in current Michigan DC Don "Wink" Martindale,