Super Bowl-winning HC makes feelings clear on Colts poaching Lou Anarumo off Joe Burrow’s Bengals

Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy shared his opinion on his former team hiring Lou Anarumo from the Cincinnati Bengals. A week ago, the Colts added Anaroumo as their defensive coordinator following the departure of Gus Bradley.

The former Cincinnati Bengal was welcomed with open arms at Lucas Oil Stadium and Dungy joined the people in supporting this decision.

On Tuesday, the Super Bowl XLI champion took to X to talk about this hire, praising Anarumo and the impact he made on defenses during his prior stops.

"I think the Colts got an excellent Defensive Coordinator in Lou Anarumo. We did many Cincinnati Bengals games over the last 3 years and his defenses were always well prepared and his players loved playing for him. I’m excited to see what Coach Lou brings to the Colts!"

After having one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, the Colts had five candidates to replace Bradley: Steve Wilks, Dennis Allen, Wink Martindale and Ephraim Banda, in addition to Anarumo.

Working with the Bengals since 2019, Anarumo helped the team become a strong presence on defense. Among his greatest moments, the 2021 AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs was a big mark on Lou Anarumo's career.

In that contest, his defense allowed only a field goal in the second half and then caught an interception, leading to a Bengals win and their advance to the Super Bowl.

Lou Anarumo shares his expectations for Colts' defense

Lou Anarumo has spent 36 years coaching in the NFL, including the past six with the Cincinnati Bengals, six in Miami (2012-2017) and one with the Giants (2018). He made quite an impression with Cincy, but now the challenge will be harder, as the Colts struggled last season.

Speaking on this new opportunity, Anarumo explained what he wants to see from his defenders on Friday.

"Sometimes a fresh start with a coach, for players, is a good thing," he said Thursday, via The Associated Press. "I know how we'll carry ourselves as coaches and we'll ask these guys to be consistent as players.

"They've got to expect the same thing from us. My standard is I'm going to be a truth-teller. It's my job to say, 'Yes, you're doing it right,' or 'No, you're doing it wrong.'"

Indianapolis was inconsistent in the 2024 NFL season, but they hope this move can make them a strong team on defense.