Notre Dame football officially is losing Al Golden to the Bengals. However, the Irish could have an immediate replacement.

The Cincinnati Bengals are reportedly looking to hire Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden for the same job.

Cincinnati is finalizing a deal to hire Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden to run its defense. Golden helped lead the Fighting Irish to Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game where they lost to Ohio State. He is expected to officially sign with the team on Thursday.

Notre Dame football offensive line coach Joe Rudolph worked with Chris Ash at Wisconsin for two seasons, coaching tight ends.

Al Golden agreed to return to Cincinnati on Wednesday after three seasons as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced. More: 3 Wolverines, 3 ex-Spartans make ESPN list of top 100 college football players from '24-25

The Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator job has been open for more than two weeks now, but there hasn't been much movement on a possible hiring and now we know why: The team was waiting for Notre Dame to finish its season.

Former Rutgers head coach Chris Ash might have an interest in returning to college football and if true, it might take place at the national runner-up. According to Pete Sampson of The Athletic, Ash has emerged as a “strong candidate” to be the next defensive coordinator at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame football has wasted little time attempting to fill its defensive coordinator vacancy after losing Al Golden to the NFL. The Irish are eyeing former Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Chris Ash to join head coach Marcus Freeman’s staff as the program attempts to build off its College Football Playoff runner-up finish this season,

The Fighting Irish have been on the lookout for a new defensive coordinator following Golden's move to the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL and appear to be keen on an ex-Rutgers head honcho

It took only a couple of days for the Notre Dame college football team to lose several of their most important pieces to this year's successful season. But few losses loom larger than defensive coordinator Al Golden leaving for the NFL.