Dr. Lou Back in the Head Coaching Conversation After Reviving Colts Defense
Two years ago, Lou Anarumo was on the cusp of a head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals. One year later, he was out in Cincinnati-dismissed after five seasons as defensive coordinator, despite helping lead the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in 2022. Fast forward to the end of the 2025 regular season, and Anarumo is back in the mix, with his name surfacing once again in head coaching conversations around the league.
It’s a reminder of just how quickly the NFL coaching carousel can spin. One year you're a scapegoat, the next you're a hot commodity-especially if you’ve managed to do what Anarumo has done in Indianapolis this season: take a battered, undermanned defense and turn it into a unit that’s not just competent, but competitive.
Reviving a Depleted Defense
Anarumo’s resurgence has everything to do with the job he’s done with the Colts in 2025. The defense has been riddled with injuries all year-key contributors like DeForest Buckner, Charvarius Ward, Jaylon Jones, Jaylon Carlies, Justin Walley, Hunter Wohlers, and, most recently, Sauce Gardner have all missed significant time.
That kind of attrition would sink most defenses. But under Anarumo, the Colts have actually improved across the board from last season.
Statistically, they’ve climbed from the bottom tier of the league in both yards and points allowed in 2024 to a respectable middle-of-the-pack standing in 2025. They’ve remained disciplined-still among the least penalized defenses in the league-and they’ve continued to generate takeaways, even without their top playmakers. That’s not just scheme-that’s coaching.
And when the Colts’ high-flying offense has stumbled late in the year, it’s been the defense keeping them in games. Just look at Week 14 in Seattle.
Against a potent Seahawks offense, the Colts held them more than 10 points below their season average and nearly pulled off a major upset on the road. That kind of performance, with a patchwork secondary and a thinned-out front seven, is the kind of thing that gets owners and GMs talking.
Cincinnati’s Collapse Adds Context
As if Anarumo’s work in Indy weren’t compelling enough, the contrast in Cincinnati has only sharpened his case. The Bengals’ defense has fallen off a cliff under new coordinator Al Golden.
Last year, they were struggling. This year, they’re dead last in just about every meaningful defensive category-points allowed, total yards, yards per play.
It’s been a complete breakdown.
It’s fair to wonder now whether Anarumo was ever really the problem in Cincinnati. His exit felt like a convenient scapegoating at the time. The Bengals’ current defensive woes only reinforce that.
Where Could Anarumo Land?
Anarumo turns 60 just before the 2026 season kicks off, and he hasn’t coached offense since his days at Wagner College back in 1989. That’s not the profile most teams are chasing these days. The league is still in love with the “young offensive guru” archetype-think Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, and most recently, Ben Johnson in Chicago.
But there’s still a place in the modern NFL for a battle-tested defensive mind-just ask Mike Vrabel up in New England. And with several teams expected to make coaching changes this offseason and few marquee names on the market, Anarumo is firmly in the conversation.
Here’s a look at how his potential landing spots shake out.
No Chance: Bengals, Cardinals
Let’s get the obvious ones out of the way. A return to Cincinnati?
Not happening. The optics of bringing back the coach you just let go-after blaming him for a down year-are simply too awkward.
As for the Cardinals, they passed on Anarumo two years ago in favor of Jonathan Gannon. If they make a change now, it’s likely to be for an offensive-minded coach who can get more out of Kyler Murray.
Doubtful: Browns, Titans, Falcons, Dolphins
Some of these teams make sense on paper, but the fit isn’t quite there.
The Browns and Titans both have young quarterbacks who would benefit from an offensive-minded head coach. That trend likely rules out Anarumo, unless he can bring in a top-tier offensive coordinator to balance the staff.
Atlanta is intriguing. They’re not expected to have much cap flexibility, but that’s exactly the kind of environment where Anarumo has proven he can thrive-scheming around roster limitations, masking weaknesses, and maximizing what he has.
If the Falcons are open to a defensive hire, this could be a sneaky-good match. The key would be pairing him with a strong OC.
Miami should be a natural fit-talent on defense, playoff aspirations-but ownership history matters. Stephen Ross hasn’t had the best experience with defensive head coaches.
After the Brian Flores era ended on rocky terms, it’s hard to see Ross going that route again. If Mike McDaniel is let go, expect Miami to chase another offensive innovator.
Possible: Raiders, Giants
Now we’re getting into more realistic territory.
The Raiders are, well, the Raiders. There’s talent on the roster, and they’ve got cap space and draft capital, but the front office has been a revolving door, and the organizational stability just isn’t there. Still, after the Pete Carroll experiment fizzled, they might be open to someone like Anarumo-especially if they value toughness, discipline, and defensive identity.
The Giants, though, might be the most logical fit.
Anarumo is a New York native and spent a season with the Giants before taking the Bengals job. The franchise has historically leaned offensive in its head coaching hires, but outside of a brief Steve Spagnuolo stint, they haven’t had a true defensive-minded head coach since the Bill Parcells era.
There’s also a young core on that defense-pieces that could grow into a formidable unit under Anarumo’s guidance. If the Giants are looking to reset their identity and bring in someone who can stabilize the locker room and elevate the defense, this could be his best shot.
And don’t be surprised if he brings some familiar faces with him. Assistants like James Bettcher and Jerome Henderson could be in line for coordinator roles if Anarumo lands a head job-Bettcher as DC, Henderson as pass game coordinator.
What’s Next?
If Anarumo does leave Indianapolis, the Colts will have a big decision to make on his replacement. But that’s a conversation for another day.
For now, Dr. Lou is back in the spotlight-and this time, he’s got the results, the reputation, and the receipts to justify it.