Colts hire Lou Anarumo as defensive coordinator

The Colts hired Lou Anarumo as defensive coordinator on Tuesday.

Anarumo joins the Colts after spending the last six seasons (2019-2024) as defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. He brings 36 years of coaching experience to the Colts and has extensive experience as a defensive backs coach.

“I am excited to add Lou Anarumo as defensive coordinator,” said Colts head coach Shane Steichen. “With many years of coaching experience, Lou is a proven leader who will demand the best from our players. His strategic mind and unique plan will be invaluable as we build a fast-paced and disciplined defensive unit.”

With the Bengals, Anarumo organized defenses that consistently made things difficult for opposing quarterbacks.

Cincinnati’s 2024 defense finished in the NFL’s top 10 in interceptions (15, T-8th), pick-sixes (two, T-3rd) and passes defended (79, 9th); Defensive end Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks, which tied a career high set in 2023.

Anarumo’s 2022 Bengals defense has held opponents to 20.1 points per game (T-5th) and a 58.9 completion percentage, the lowest rate in the NFL. In 2021, Anarumo helped push the Bengals to the Super Bowl by holding Cincinnati’s opponents – the Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams – to 20.5 points per game .

After halftime of the 2021 AFC Championship, Anarumo’s defense held Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to eight completions on 18 attempts for 55 yards with two interceptions and four sacks, allowing the Bengals to erase what was an 18-point deficit in the second quarter and won, 27-24, in overtime at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Prior to Cincinnati, Anarumo spent seven seasons as defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins (2012-2017) and New York Giants (2018). Anarumo was also named the Dolphins’ interim defensive coordinator in 2015 by interim head coach Dan Campbell, who is now the head coach of the Detroit Lions.

Before joining the NFL in 2012, Anarumo coached for 23 years at the collegiate level.

Anaumo coached Purdue’s defensive backs from 2004-2011 and was hired by legendary Boilermarkers head coach Joe Tiller. He was Marshall’s defensive backs coach from 2001 to 2003, and in 2003 he was also the special teams coordinator for the Thundering Herd.

From 1995 to 2000, Anarumo served as Harvard’s assistant head coach, defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator – and it was at Harvard where he met Joe Philbin, then the Crimson’s offensive line coach. Philbin hired Anarumo as the Dolphins’ defensive backs coach after being hired as Miami’s head coach in 2012.

Anarumo also served as defensive backs coach/defensive coordinator at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (1992-1994), graduate assistant at Syracuse (1990-1991), and part-time running backs coach at Wagner (1990) and the Academy of the Merchant Navy (1989-1990).

Anarumo (pronounced ann-ah-ROO-mo) is a native of Staten Island, New York, and earned his bachelor’s degree in special education from Wagner in 1990. He got his start as a coach then that he was in college as the head varsity coach at Susan Wagner High School. School in Staten Island.