Al Golden isn’t one to forget.
The former Notre Dame defensive coordinator made that crystal clear during his Broyles Award acceptance speech when he took a moment to acknowledge ESPN’s Desmond Howard—not for praise, but for his repeated picks against the Fighting Irish throughout the 2024 season.
Golden, who just wrapped up a stellar season with Notre Dame, couldn’t help but call out the fact that Howard predicted the Irish to lose six times on College GameDay. Given that Notre Dame finished the season with a 14-1 record and made it to the national championship game, it’s safe to say Howard misjudged them more than a few times.
“Des, thank you for picking against us six times this year,” Golden said with a grin. “We won 14 games, and he picked against us six times. It’s unbelievable.”
You can see the video from Irish Sport Daily's Matt Freeman below:
Al Golden keeps receipts
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) February 14, 2025
"And Des, thank you for picking against us six times this year. We won 14 games and he picked against us six times. It's unbelievable." pic.twitter.com/2t4iLDzRvE
The playful jab showed that Notre Dame had been keeping track of the doubters all season. Whether it was bulletin board material for the team or just a bit of extra motivation, it’s clear Golden and the Irish took note of who believed in them—and who didn’t.
Golden, who is now heading back to the NFL to serve as the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive coordinator, played a key role in Notre Dame’s dominant defense. His unit finished among the nation’s best, helping power the team to a College Football Playoff run. While his time in South Bend is over, it’s clear that his competitive edge isn’t going anywhere.
Howard, for his part, hasn’t responded publicly to Golden’s remarks, but it’s safe to assume he might think twice before doubting Notre Dame quite so frequently in the future.
Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame squad without Golden will open up the 2025 season at Miami on Sunday, August 31.