Lou Anarumo

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Lou Anarumo

| image =

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| current_team = Indianapolis Colts

| position = Defensive coordinator

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|8|18|mf=y}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

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| college = Wagner College

| pastcoaching =

Wagner (1989)
Running backs coach
Syracuse (1990–1991)
Graduate assistant & assistant defensive backs coach
Merchant Marine (1992–1994)
Defensive coordinator & defensive backs coach
Harvard (1995–2000)
Assistant head coach/defensive backs/special teams
Marshall (2001–2003)
Defensive backs coach
Purdue (2004–2011)
Defensive backs coach
Miami Dolphins ({{nfly|2012}}–{{nfly|2017}})
Defensive backs coach
Miami Dolphins ({{nfly|2015}})
Interim defensive coordinator
New York Giants ({{nfly|2018}})
Defensive backs coach
Cincinnati Bengals ({{nfly|2019}}–{{nfly|2024}})
Defensive coordinator
Indianapolis Colts ({{nfly|2025}}–present)
Defensive coordinator

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| pfrcoach = AnarLo0

}}

Lou Anarumo (born August 18, 1966) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive backs coach at Purdue under Joe Tiller and Danny Hope from 2004 to 2011, the Miami Dolphins from 2012 to 2017, and the New York Giants in 2018. He was the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals from 2019 to 2024.

Early life

Anarumo was born on Staten Island, New York in 1966.{{Cite web |last=D'Amodio |first=Joe |date=2022-02-09 |title=Staten Island grid product Lou Anarumo gives legendary high school coach Super Bowl tickets |url=https://www.silive.com/sports/2022/02/staten-island-grid-product-lou-anarumo-gives-legendary-high-school-coach-super-bowl-tickets.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=SILive.com}} He attended Wagner College where he earned his degree in special education.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-11 |title=Wagner Graduate Lou Anarumo Readies For Super Bowl LVI With Cincinnati Bengals |url=https://wagnerathletics.com/news/2022/2/11/football-wagner-graduate-lou-anarumo-readies-for-super-bowl-lvi-with-cincinnati-bengals.aspx |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=Wagner College Athletics |language=en}} While at Wagner, he served as the Junior Varsity head coach at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island.{{Cite web |title=Lou Anarumo Profile |url=http://www.purduesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/anarumo_lou00.html |access-date=September 19, 2012 |website=PurdueSports.com}}

Coaching career

=Early career=

Anarumo served as the part-time running backs coach at Wagner in the spring of 1990 before he moved to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy during the fall of 1990 to serve in the same capacity.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=James |date=2015-10-08 |title=Dolphins' Lou Anarumo also coached at Harvard, Merchant Marine Academy |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/miami-dolphins/post/_/id/17449/dolphins-lou-anarumo-also-coached-at-harvard-merchant-marine-academy |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=ESPN.com}} From there, Anarumo went to Syracuse University where he served as a graduate assistant under Phil Elmassian working with the defensive backs.{{Cite web |last=Dowd |first=Tom |date=2012-02-12 |title=Dream chance for ex-Wagner assistant Lou Anarumo with Miami Dolphins |url=https://www.silive.com/sports/advance/dowd/2012/02/dream_chance_for_ex-wagner_ass.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=SILive.com}} Anarumo then returned to the Merchant Marines as the defensive coordinator before being hired at Harvard to serve as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach.{{Cite web |last=Benjamin |first=Cody |date=2019-02-21 |title=Bengals name Lou Anarumo defensive coordinator, reuniting former Giants DB coach with Zac Taylor |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bengals-name-lou-anarumo-defensive-coordinator-reuniting-former-giants-db-coach-with-zac-taylor/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=CBSSports.com}} It is at Harvard that Anarumo met former boss Joe Philbin, who at the time served as Harvard's offensive line coach.{{Cite web |last=Baby |first=Ben |date=2023-01-28 |title='He's in the lab always coming up with something': Meet the 'mad scientist' behind the Bengals defense |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35532675/mad-scientist-lou-anarumo-man-bengals-defense |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=ESPN.com}} Anarumo made a stop at Marshall before being hired to replace Elmassian at Purdue.{{Cite web |date=February 13, 2004 |title=Lou Anarumo Named Defensive Backs Coach |url=https://purduesports.com/news/2004/2/13/lou_anarumo_named_defensive_backs_coach |access-date=2023-11-03 |work=Purdue Boilermakers Athletics}}

=Miami Dolphins=

In 2012, Anarumo was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their defensive backs coach.{{Cite web |last=Bolin |first=Ross |date=February 2, 2012 |title=Lou Anarumo joins Miami Dolphins coaching staff |url=http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/sports/lou-anarumo-joins-miami-dolphins-coaching-staff |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307190335/https://www.wlfi.com/dpp/sports/lou-anarumo-joins-miami-dolphins-coaching-staff/ |archive-date=March 7, 2012 |access-date=September 19, 2012 |website=Wlfi.com}}{{Cite web |last=Dowd |first=Tom |date=February 12, 2012 |title=Dream chance for ex-Wagner assistant Lou Anarumo with Miami Dolphins |url=http://www.silive.com/sports/advance/dowd/index.ssf/2012/02/dream_chance_for_ex-wagner_ass.html |access-date=September 19, 2012 |website=SILive.com}} On October 8, 2015, he was chosen to be the interim defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins to replace Kevin Coyle who was fired the same day.{{Cite web |last=Stapleton |first=Art |date=January 24, 2022 |title=Lou Anarumo: 3 things to know about NY Giants head coach candidate |url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/nfl/giants/2022/01/24/lou-anarumo-ny-giants-head-coach-candidate-bio/6633916001/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |work=North Jersey Media Group}} Due to the changes in coaching staff following the 2015–16 season, he was once again made the defensive backs coach under Adam Gase, the new head coach for the 2016–17 season.{{Cite web |last=Habib |first=Hal |date=September 14, 2016 |title=Miami Dolphins fire defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, hire Lou Anarumo |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/10/08/miami-dolphins-fire-defensive-coordinator/7168853007/ |access-date=2022-10-07 |work=The Palm Beach Post}}

=New York Giants=

On January 25, 2018, Anarumo was named as defensive backs coach for the New York Giants.{{Cite web |last=Alper |first=Josh |date=January 25, 2018 |title=Pat Shurmur continues filling out his Giants staff |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/01/25/pat-shurmur-continues-filling-out-his-giants-staff/ |access-date=June 6, 2022 |work=ProFootballTalk}}

=Cincinnati Bengals=

On February 21, 2019, Anarumo was hired by the Cincinnati Bengals as their defensive coordinator under head coach Zac Taylor.{{Cite web |last=Terrell |first=Katherine |date=February 21, 2019 |title=Giants coach Lou Anarumo named Bengals DC |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26048100/giants-coach-lou-anarumo-named-bengals-dc |access-date=November 29, 2020 |website=ESPN.com}} He assumed Steve Jackson's cornerbacks coaching duties for the team's Week 11 and Week 12 games in 2020 against the Washington Football Team and New York Giants due to Jackson missing the games for COVID-19 pandemic protocols.{{Cite web |last=Baby |first=Ben |date=November 20, 2020 |title=Cincinnati Bengals to be without 3 position coaches due to COVID-19 reasons |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30354924/cincinnati-bengals-3-position-coaches-due-covid-19-reasons |access-date=November 29, 2020 |website=ESPN.com}}{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2020 |title=Two Assistants To Miss Giants Game |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/two-assistants-to-miss-giants-game |access-date=November 29, 2020 |website=Bengals.com}}

In the 2021–22 AFC Championship Game, Anarumo's defense held the Kansas City Chiefs to just a field goal in the second half and forced an interception in overtime, contributing to a 27–24 OT victory to advance to Super Bowl LVI.{{Cite web |last=Barnwell |first=Bill |date=January 31, 2022 |title=How did the Chiefs lose that game? Barnwell on a meltdown and the Bengals' unbelievable second half |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/insider/story/_/id/33183716/chiefs-collapse-bengals-going-super-bowl-18-point-lead-patrick-mahomes-meltdown-cincinnati-unbelievable-second-half |access-date=February 9, 2022 |website=ESPN.com}} In Super Bowl LVI, the Bengals lost 23–20 to the Los Angeles Rams.{{Cite magazine |last=Cothrel |first=Nicholas |date=2022-02-14 |title=Rams' 23-20 Comeback Win Over Bengals in Super Bowl LVI Completes All-In Master Plan |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/news/rams-bengals-super-bowl-lvi-master-plan-world-champions |access-date=2023-11-03 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}

During the 2023 offseason, Anarumo was a finalist for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job that ultimately went to Jonathan Gannon.{{Cite web |last=Rapien |first=James |date=March 1, 2023 |title=Lou Anarumo Disappointed About Cardinals Job, Excited For Fifth Season With Bengals |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/lou-anarumo-disappointed-cardinals-job-excited-for-fifth-season-bengals |access-date=September 5, 2023 |website=si.com}}

Anarumo was let go by the Bengals at the end of the 2024 season.{{Cite web |last=Baby |first=Ben |date=2025-01-06 |title=Source: Bengals fire DC Anarumo after 6 seasons |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43309393/source-bengals-fire-dc-lou-anarumo-missing-playoffs |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=ESPN.com}}

=Indianapolis Colts=

On January 21, 2025, Anarumo was hired as defensive coordinator by the Indianapolis Colts.{{Cite web|last=Stankevitz|first=JJ|title=Colts hire Lou Anarumo as defensive coordinator|url=https://www.colts.com/news/lou-anarumo-defensive-coordinator-hired-cincinnati-bengals-2025-season|website=colts.com|date=January 21, 2025|access-date=January 21, 2025}}

Personal life

Anarumo is married, and the couple have three children.{{Cite web |last=Ragan |first=Zach |date=February 1, 2022 |title=Stat shows why Patrick Mahomes struggled in second half against Cincinnati Bengals |url=https://atozsports.com/kansas-city/stat-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-football-kansas-city-bengals/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |work=A to Z Sports}}