The Indianapolis Colts found their new defensive leader, as they announced the hiring of former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo for the role on Tuesday.
Anarumo replaces the departed Gus Bradley, who was let go at the end of the season after Indianapolis’ defense collapsed down the stretch. Bradley was held over from Frank Reich’s staff to be the DC for Shane Steichen, but lasted only two years with Steichen before parting ways.
Anarumo spent the last six seasons as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator after previous coaching defensive backs with the Giants and Dolphins, and before that in college with Purdue, Marshall and Harvard. His units were extremely strong for the first few years of his tenure, and he earned a reputation for building bespoke game plans to help limit some of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
His defenses took significant steps backward over the last few years, though, as the talent on hand aged and atrophied. That culminated in the 2024 season, wherein the Bengals ranked 25th in both yards and points allowed and the defense arguably cost them a shot at the playoffs.
Now, he’ll head to Indianapolis, where he’ll be tasked with working with players like Laiatu Latu, Kwity Paye, Zaire Franklin, Kenny Moore, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, JuJu Brents and more. It’s not quite the talent he had during the Bengals’ hayday, but it’s more than what was on the field for the Bengals this past season. And the Colts are obviously hoping that the scheme versatility Anarumo brings to the table will do more for their defense than Bradley’s more static system.
