The Indianapolis Colts are officially beginning their process of finding their next defensive coordinator.
Their first two interviews were announced three days after the team decided to part ways with Gus Bradley.
Lou Anarumo
The Colts are set to interview former Cincinnati Bengals DC Lou Anarumo. Anarumo had been the Bengals DC since 2019 before being fired following the 2024 season. Before that, he spent time with the New York Giants (2018) and the Miami Dolphins (2012-2017) as a defensive back coach. As well as being the interim defensive coordinator for the Dolphins in 2015.
Before this year, Anarumo was considered one of the best DCs in all football. He played a significant role in helping the Bengals go to the Super Bowl for the 2021 season by getting the most out of his defense down the stretch in 2021. And he followed that year up with his defense reaching the highest marks of his career in Cincinnati, with the Bengals ranking 16th in yards allowed and eighth in points allowed. The disappointing year for the Bengals in 2024 lost Anarumo his job, but around the league, he is still viewed to be a brilliant defensive mind. He is expected to be a top candidate for multiple DC gigs throughout the NFL.
Steve Wilks
The Colts are also set to interview Steve Wilks. I saw this one coming a bit because he has worked with Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard. I included him in my article, which included five candidates the Colts should hire as their next DC. You can click here to read more about his history with the Colts’ top decision-makers.
Wilks’ last role in the NFL was a one-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers as their DC in 2023. This may not sound like a promising candidate for the Colts to target, but I still think the 49ers made a mistake moving on from Wilks so quickly. Under Wilks, the 49ers ranked eighth in yards allowed, third in points allowed and had the fifth most takeaways in the NFL. This stellar season followed Wilks’ incredible coaching job with the Carolina Panthers in 2022, where he finished the year as their interim head coach, and many were banging the table for him to get the full-time job.