Former Miami Coach Al Golden Now Leads The Cincinnati Bengals Linebackers

Until informed by his uncle, second-year linebacker Logan Wilson had no idea the coach running him through linebacker drills used to be the head coach of a five-time NCAA champion program.

Indeed many may be unaware that Al Golden, the University of Miami head coach from 2011 to 2015, is currently the Cincinnati Bengals linebackers coach.

“There’s always things that you miss from college,” Golden said.

While acknowledging there are pros and cons to the NFL vs. the college game, his experience coaching in the latter makes him a good fit for a Bengals linebacking corps that starts two young players in third-year Germaine Pratt and Wilson.

“Guys have bought into him and his coaching, and we play hard for him,” Wilson said. “He’s really helped me build off of last year and become more confident in what we’re doing.”

The Bengals were actually not Golden’s first NFL coaching stop. After going 32-25 at Miami, he spent 2016 to 2019 as an assistant coach with the Detroit Lions.

He coached tight ends, the position he played at Penn State, for two years under offensive-minded Jim Caldwell before moving to the defensive side, where he coached linebackers under defensive-minded Matt Patricia in 2018 and 2019.

His versatile background as an offensive, defensive and head coach gives him a unique advantage when preparing his linebackers.

“I’m blessed,” Golden said. “I’ve had a lot of experience.”

While with the Lions, Golden was part of teams led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, who will start for the Bengals’ opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, in Super Bowl LVI.

Golden praised Stafford’s toughness, leadership and character to his current defenders. Those are traits he witnessed firsthand.

“It was such an incredible experience to be in the same locker room with him and watch him operate on a daily basis,” Golden said. “It’s always a challenge to defend Matt.”

Stafford is not the only Rams offensive player with whom he has familiarity. There’s also running back Cam Akers, who played at Florida State, a rival of Miami.

“We tried like heck to recruit him,” Golden said.

Pratt played at North Carolina State, but he never faced Golden’s Miami teams in ACC play. 

He, though, still remembers the signature orange tie he wore and says Golden still has that rah-rah, college passion. 

“He brings so much energy and juice,” Pratt said.

Golden, 52, declined to discuss whether he would consider returning to the college coaching ranks or talk about the end of his Miami tenure, which occurred after a 58-0 loss to Clemson in October of 2015 and resulted in a lawsuit against the school. 

He redirected the conversation to Cincinnati’s return to the Super Bowl.

“It’s taken 33 years for this organization to get here,” he said. “I just want to stay focused on the Bengals.”

Prior to his pro stint, Miami hired him in December of 2010, signing him to a five-year deal, in which he made about $2.6 million in his final year.

He then sued the school, seeking $6 million, but a federal judge ruled that a $2 million termination payment was consistent with his contract.

The reason he earned such a lucrative deal was because of the masterful turnaround job he did at Temple.

The year before his arrival there, Temple went winless. After four years as head coach, Golden guided the Owls to a nine-win season and their first bowl appearance in 30 years.

That experience is analogous to the Bengals, who finished in last place in their division for four straight seasons before reaching the Super Bowl this year.

“I definitely see some links and certainly lessons there that I share with the players,” Golden said. “There’s a lot of parallels between the journey we’re on currently.”