Lou Anarumo ignoring head-coaching candidacy buzz amid strong showing in first season as Colts DC

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It’s funny how one season can completely transform the narrative surrounding a coach in the NFL.

At this time a year ago, Lou Anarumo was headed for the unemployment line. His Bengals defense was among the worst in the NFL and the clear scapegoat for Cincinnati’s failure to reach the playoffs despite owning an explosive offense capable of competing with any opponent. The disappointing defensive year capped a gradual decline and all but vanquished any hopes of Anarumo becoming a head coach, once a very real possibility after his defense thrived during Cincinnati’s run to Super Bowl LVI in 2021.

Anarumo was unsurprisingly fired by Bengals coach Zac Taylor and replaced by Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden. Eventually, the Colts called Anarumo and hired him to replace Gus Bradley in Indianapolis, giving him a new chance to prove himself as a defensive director.

It just might earn him another look at a head coaching gig, too.

“I’d be lying to you if I said that down the road that wasn’t something that would be a career goal, but my full attention is on the Houston Texans,” Anarumo told The Indianapolis Star on Tuesday. “And they better be, because they’re a really good football team.

“While I appreciate all that stuff, my main — and sole — focus is on the Texans this week.”

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The fresh head-coaching buzz surrounding Anarumo is not random. Anarumo has taken a relatively competitive defense and guided it toward a strong showing in the most important category: points allowed per game. Entering Week 13, the Colts rank ninth in the NFL, surrendering an average of 20.8 points per contest while landing in the lower third in total yards allowed per game.

Those numbers define the bend-but-don’t-break mentality in which a unit gives up substantial yards but bows up when it matters most. It’s a significant reason why the Colts have surprised the NFL by running out to an 8-3 record and a first-place standing in the AFC South.

There’s another reason, though, why Anarumo’s name is being tossed back into the coaching ring. The New York Giants have a vacancy after firing Brian Daboll and might be interested in taking a second look at Anarumo, who was a candidate for the job back when the Giants chose Daboll in 2022.

The Giants’ coaching search is also being led by a man who is very familiar to Anarumo: general manager Joe Schoen, who worked in Miami at the same time Anarumo served as Dolphins defensive backs coach (and eventual interim defensive coordinator).

Schoen was the one who hired Daboll in 2022 shortly after he was named Giants GM. After ending that partnership, he might look back through his rolodex toward another familiar face in Anarumo.

For now, it’s merely buzz. The Colts have plenty left to accomplish, starting with a divisional matchup with Houston that has increased in importance thanks to the Texans’ recent winning streak.

But whenever this run ends, don’t be surprised if Anarumo’s name returns to the surface during the hiring cycle. He just might land the job he missed out on a few years ago.

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