ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tiger Woods turns 49 at the end of the month, and he has one pressing goal that relates to his golf. He wants to prolong the inevitable day when his son beats him over 18 holes.

They will be playing with -- not against -- each other this week for the fifth straight year at the PNC Championship, a 36-hole tournament so meaningful to them and everyone else in the field that Woods was determined to play for the first time since a sixth back surgery in September.

Word got out, however, that 15-year-old Charlie finally beat his 15-time major champion dad.

"He beat me for nine holes," Woods said, an important clarification to him. "He has yet to beat me for 18 holes. That day is coming. I'm just prolonging it as long as I possibly can."

As for the details, Woods talked about the typical banter between them and how much fun they have. It was clear he was not going to share the hole-by-hole of the loss.

Winning is a goal, but not the priority, at the PNC Championship. It's a happy end of the year for all 20 teams at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, an event that pairs the winners of majors or The Players Championship with a family member.

Woods played five tournaments this year and completed only one of them, making the cut at the Masters for a record 24th consecutive year. He had to play 23 holes on Friday at Augusta National in a raging wind, posting a 72 for his best round of the year. He followed that with an 82, an example of ups and downs from a player whose body has been wracked with injury.

"I'm not going to feel what I'm used to feeling," Woods said. "The recovery has gotten to be the hardest part. But over the course of rounds, weeks, months, it gets harder."

He missed the cut in the next three majors and then had surgery on his lower back in September to alleviate some of the spasms he had been feeling. The timing of the surgery was related to the PNC Championship.

Woods chose not to play the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas two weeks ago, saying he wasn't competitively sharp enough to handle Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas among a 20-man field of players from the top 40 in the world.

This might as well be his fifth major because he plays with his son.

"That was one of the reasons why I had the surgery done earlier, so that hopefully I could give myself the best chance to be with Charlie and be able to play," Woods said. "I'm not competitive right now, but I just want to be able to have the experience again. This has always been one of the bigger highlights of the year for us as a family, and now we get to have that moment together again."

The surgery was on his back, but Woods said his right leg, which was mangled in a February 2021 car crash outside Los Angeles, remains the biggest physical obstacle.

Even so, he chose to walk the pro-am on Friday instead of riding a cart, which is allowed for players because the tournament is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour Champions.

Team Woods has yet to win since they began playing in 2020. They finished second the following year by two shots to John Daly and his college son, when Charlie was 12. He is adding inches to his height every year, filling out and pounding the golf ball. Woods plans to rely on his son's tee shots in the scramble format.

They will play the opening round Saturday with Justin Leonard and son Luke, who goes to The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach with Charlie and is going to Villanova next year.

Charlie Woods went through U.S. Open qualifying for the first time this year and failed to advance out of the first stage. He qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills but didn't come close to making it to match play.

Woods appreciated that his son is under a spotlight few others his age face.

"I was always reminding him, 'Just be you.' Charlie is Charlie. Yes, he's my son. He's going to have my last name and it's going to be part of his core. But I just want him to be just himself and be his own person. That's what we can only do," Woods said.

"I always encourage it, for him to carve his own name, carve his own path and have his own journey," he said. "I think he's doing a great job. In this day and age where everyone is basically media, with all the phones, being constantly filmed and constantly people watching, that's just part of his generation, and that's part of the world that he has to maneuver through."

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was back in the starting lineup Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets after a one-game absence due to a sinus fracture.

The Sixers announced Embiid's return on social media, posting a photo of the center wearing a protective mask.

Embiid suffered the injury last Friday when he was struck in the face by Bennedict Mathurin while going for a defensive rebound. He sat out the Sixers' 121-108 victory over the Hornets on Monday.

Head coach Nick Nurse noted earlier this week that the sinus fracture was "not nearly as severe" as the two previous facial fractures Embiid suffered in his career.

Embiid has played in just six games this season due to knee soreness and is averaging just 20.3 points per game for the 76ers (7-16), well below his career average.

A record nine MLB teams were over the luxury tax threshold for 2024, according to a memo sent to teams on Friday and obtained by ESPN.

The result was a record $311 million paid in penalties, led by the Los Angeles Dodgers who are paying $103,016,896. The New York Mets were next at $97,115,609. The Chicago Cubs were taxed the least, paying $570,309.

The six other teams, along with their penalties, who had Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payrolls higher than $237 million, which triggers the tax, include the New York Yankees ($62,512,111), the Philadelphia Phillies ($14,351,954), the Atlanta Braves ($14,026,496), the Texas Rangers ($10,807,196), the Houston Astros ($6,483,041) and the San Francisco Giants ($2,421,788).

The Dodgers, Mets, Yankees and Phillies were taxed at a base rate of 50% because they've been over the tax in three or more consecutive years. The Braves and Rangers exceeded the threshold for the second consecutive year, earning a 30% tax rate. The Astros, Giants and Cubs were first time offenders, earning a 20% tax on overages.

If a team dips below the threshold in any one season, its tax rate resets to 20%.

Because the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees were also all $60 million or more over the $237 million threshold, they were taxed an additional 60%, making their marginal rate at the maximum 110%. Meanwhile, the Phillies, Braves, Rangers and Astros were all between $20 million and $40 million over the threshold, triggering an added 12.5% tax to their marginal rate.

A team's CBT figure is determined using the average annual value of each player's contract on the 40-man roster, plus any additional player benefits. Every team's final CBT figure is calculated at the end of each season. The Dodgers' CBT payroll for 2024 was $353,015,360, while the Cubs were just over the threshold at $239,851,546.

The first $3.5 million of proceeds is used to fund player benefits. Fifty percent of the remainder go to player retirement funds, while the other half goes into the Supplemental Commissioner's Discretionary Fund and is redistributed among teams that receive revenue sharing.

Head coach Richie Murphy says he is "bitterly disappointed" as Munster scored a last-gasp try to inflict a fifth defeat in a row on 14-man Ulster.

Ulster took the lead through prop Tom O'Toole, who was then shown a red card after Farrell scored the first of his three tries.

Farrell struck again after the restart, but Harry Sheridan hit back for the 14 men.

However, after Shane Daly and James McNabney exchanged tries, Farrell had the decisive say with the final play to give Munster 22-19 win in Belfast.

"I'm bitterly disappointed but absolutely proud of the effort and commitment that the lads put in," said Murphy.

"I thought we found a way of getting back into the game. I'm incredibly proud of the lads' commitment and performance, but we just need to be better in the really big moments."

After O'Toole scored the opening try, the prop was sent off after referee Ben Whitehouse deemed he had fallen on the leg of centre Alex Nankivell at a ruck 10 minutes before half-time.

Murphy said it was a "tough" call but was pleased with how his side responded.

"Obviously the red card is a big moment in the game," he added.

"It's a tough red card because he is through the gate and makes contact square on. He's not through the side, but as he falls backwards his leg comes out and Tom falls on it.

"I can kind of understand that, but it is difficult because it's not an illegal act at the start."

Ulster: Lowry; Kok, Postlethwaite, McCloskey, Ward; Morgan, Cooney; Warwick, Herring, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Treadwell; McNabney, Marcus Rea, McCann.

Replacements: Andrew, O'Sullivan, Wilson, Sheridan, Matty Rea, Shanahan, Murphy, Telfer.

Red card: O'Toole

Munster: Haley; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Daly; Crowley, Patterson; Ryan, Niall Scannell, Archer; Ahern, Wycherley; O'Donoghue (capt), Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Clarke, Kilcoyne, Jager, O'Connell, Kendellen, Coughlan, Rory Scannell, Gleeson.

Yellow card: R Scannell

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Gloucester: Carreras; Wade, Llewellyn, Atkinson, Hathaway; Anscombe, Williams; Rapava-Ruskin, Blake, Fasogbon; Thomas, Alemanno, Clement, Ludlow, Ackermann

Replacements: Singleton, Knight, Gotovtsev, Jordan, Tuisue, Englefield, Harris, Barton

Harlequins: Green; Isgro, Beard, Anyanwu, Murley; Smith, Porter; Baxter, Walker, Kerrod; Lamb, Hammond; Cunningham-South, W Evans, Dombrandt

Replacements: Riley, Jones, Lewis, Herbst, Chisholm, Care, J Evans, David

Referee: Christophe Ridley

Harry Kane returned from injury as Bayern Munich stamped their authority over the Bundesliga in commanding style by thrashing fourth-placed RB Leipzig 5-1 on Friday in a game that featured two goals in the opening two minutes for the first time in the league's history.

Kane suffered a thigh injury against Borussia Dortmund last month. 

Having lost their first league match of the season to Mainz last week, Bayern delivered a command performance against a Leipzig side who struggled to build any attacking momentum.

Bayern top the standings on 36 points, seven clear of Bayer Leverkusen, who play Freiburg on Saturday. Eintracht Frankfurt are third on 27, ahead of Leipzig on goal difference.

It is the 26th time Bayern have topped the table at Christmas, having won the title in 23 of the 25 previous occasions they did so.

The game had a remarkable start when Kane's neat backheel sent Michael Olise clear and he crossed for red-hot Jamal Musiala to tuck in after 28 seconds.

Leipzig hit back almost immediately as Loïs Openda escaped down the right and his cross was swept home by Benjamin Sesco -- the first time in Bundesliga history that two goals have been scored in the first two minutes.

Bayern dominated the rest of the game and got their second in the 25th minute as former Leipzig man Konrad Laimar scored his first Bayern goal, side-footing in a volley from a clever Olise cross.

Joshua Kimmich smashed home a trademark long-range shot after 36 minutes to give the hosts a deserved 3-1 halftime lead, as Leipzig failed to muster another effort on goal.

The visitors showed a bit more attacking intent in the second half without looking dangerous as Bayern continued to create chances.

Olise curled just wide, Kane hit a powerful shot too close to goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi and Leroy Sané shot wide, before he latched on to a through ball by Alphonso Davies to slot in the fourth after 75 minutes.

Two minutes later Davies headed home the fifth from a perfect Kimmich cross.

A miserable night for Leipzig was completed when Benjamin Henrichs suffered a serious-looking injury in the final minute, collapsing to the turf away from play, and looked in real distress as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

Friday, Dec. 20 marks five years since Mikel Arteta took charge of Arsenal. Over the course of his 257 games at the helm, Arteta has delivered 152 victories and restored the Premier League club as a credible contender for the game's biggest prizes.

Arteta arrived at Arsenal with a five-phase plan to transform the club. The Spaniard has always been coy about the details but the last step is surely to win major trophies. It would be the culmination of half a decade's work, and Arteta explained on Tuesday how he would reflect upon the milestone.

"I don't drink wine but it will be a special day, five years in this job of a club of this size is a big thing so I am very grateful," he said. "I won't do a celebration but I will reflect on it, and we will have some memories and look through pictures and comments and a few moments that we have spent together and recall it and value it because it is quite a long time."

Arteta's first step into management has been a dramatic rollercoaster, dealing with complexities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic during his first season, instigating a radical overhaul of the squad and going toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Manchester City side. Here are the key moments of his tenure so far.

August 2020: Winning the FA Cup

Nothing could validate the formative work of a young manager like delivering silverware at a club starved of success less than nine months into the job. Whereas Arsenal's 2017 triumph resembled a last hurrah for Arsene Wenger, the Gunners' win at Wembley three years later felt like a positive signpost for the future.

Arsenal had drifted as a club in Wenger's final years and it was a slide his successor, Unai Emery, was unable to halt. Arteta began to reverse that trajectory by instilling a structure and discipline which enabled him to become the first Arsenal manager to win a major trophy in their first season in charge since George Graham in 1986-87.

They did it the hard way, beating Manchester City in the semifinal and then Chelsea in the final. Against City, they had 30% possession, four shots in the whole game and won 2-0. Against Chelsea, they registered 41% possession, three shots on targets and scored twice in a 2-1 win. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored all of them.

September 2020: Arteta is 'promoted' to manager

Arteta was hired with the job title of head coach, a reflection of the desire to shift away from the overt autonomy which many inside the club felt had created the latter-day stagnation under Wenger. Nine new department heads were hired as football expertise was added to the club and responsibilities were carved up to create a new structure.

However, Arteta recognised the culture of the club needed changing amid concerns about the dressing-room dynamic and a drop in standards as Arsenal slid from top-four regulars to also-rans.

Explaining the decision at the time, then chief-executive Vinai Venkatesham said: "That's recognition of what he's been doing from the day he walked in the door, but also where we see his capabilities. He is doing a great job of coaching the first team and that's his primary responsibility, but there is so much more that he can bring and that's why we're making this change."

Sources have told ESPN that this move was designed to reinforce Arteta's authority ahead of what would, in time, become a brutal and uncompromising squad overhaul.

December 2020: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea

Empty stadiums and, later, restricted attendances due to COVID-19 had made a connection between Arsenal supporters and Arteta's team more difficult. Arsenal went into this game in 15th place and were seven games without a win.

Bereft of the efficiency shown in that FA Cup win, social media was awash with frustration at the perfunctory nature of Arteta's approach. The wider mood wasn't helped by the club announcing earlier in the year plans to make 55 staff redundant as a result of the pandemic's financial impact.

Played on the anniversary of his first game as manager, it was the kids who turned up to party. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, both aged 19, and 20-year-old Emile Smith Rowe revitalised Arsenal in a 3-1 victory which showcased the potential in the club's next generation.

January 2021: Özil is forced out

Arteta spoke at his first news conference about changing the culture of Arsenal, and over time he began to question the character of several senior squad members.

News of a training ground bust-up between David Luiz and Dani Ceballos leaked to the press and Arteta vowed to find the mole, warning "there will be consequences." It was just one of many incidents where Arteta questioned the motivation and desire of his players and the Spaniard sought approval from the club's owners, Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE), to begin pushing players out of the club.

The identity of the mole was never publicly revealed but in January, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Özil became the first of what would end up over the next couple of years to be a total of nine players who would have their contracts ripped up. This wasn't cheap -- sources told ESPN that Özil received around 90% of 7 million owed to him over the remainder of his deal -- and owners KSE privately found this one of the most painful aspects of their time at the club. But it was another sign of their steadfast commitment in Arteta's judgement.

Özil was heralded as the new Dennis Bergkamp when arriving from Real Madrid for what was then a club-record fee of 42.4m in 2013. He became their highest-paid player on 350,000 a week but, as a result of Arteta's judgement, left the club in ignominy.

August 2021: Worst-ever start... but big spending begins

Arsenal ended August with a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City, and lost their opening three matches without scoring a single goal for the first time in their history. But in the middle of that run, midfielder Martin Ødegaard joined the club for 30m from Real Madrid. Defender Ben White and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale also arrived as Arsenal pursued a policy of signing promising players under the age of 23. They ended 2021 as the biggest spenders in the Premier League.

This was also the summer Arteta convinced set-piece coach Nico Jover to join them from City. Since Jover joined Arsenal, they have scored more goals from corners than any other Premier League club.

December 2021: Aubameyang is stripped of the captaincy

This was another sign of Arteta's ruthless streak. He had played a key role in convincing Aubameyang to sign a new contract less than 18 months earlier and yet, in front of the "All or Nothing" documentary cameras, Arteta stripped him of the captaincy.

There was no major bust-up but a series of issues regarding discipline and timekeeping. Sources told ESPN the final straw was his late return from a club-approved overseas trip to see his mother but it was the latest in a string of incidents: he was fined for missing a COVID-19 test before a Europa League fixture; he was "reminded of his responsibilities" after footage emerged of him receiving a tattoo despite strict social distancing regulations; he was dropped for the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur hours before kick-off after reporting late for a team meeting on the day of the game.

Aubameyang was sent to train away from the first-team squad and would eventually join the list of players whose contracts were ripped up, joining Barcelona on a free transfer on Feb. 2 as the relationship deteriorated completely.

August 2022: Spending continues as Saka and Ødegaard flourish

After narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification at the end of the 2021-22 season, Arsenal spent again, chiefly through the acquisitions of both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City. Sources told ESPN at the time that City were willing to part with the pair, not just because they were deemed surplus to requirements but also that they did not view Arsenal as a significant threat.

That would change as the Gunners won 22 of their first 27 games across all competitions to establish themselves, not just as top-four challengers, but City's main title rivals. They did so chiefly through the emergence of Saka and Ødegaard as two of the league's brightest attacking talents.

March 2023: Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth

Arguably the loudest Emirates Stadium has ever been. Needing a goal to complete their comeback from 2-0 down against Bournemouth, Arteta sent on winger Reiss Nelson for his third league appearance of the season. In the 97th-minute, he steadied himself to meet a loose ball and thrashed a shot past Neto to send the home fans into pure ecstasy.

April 2023: Saliba's injury exposes squad depth

Arsenal held an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League when defender William Saliba suffered a season-ending back injury against Sporting CP. The Gunners exited the Europa League that night and were ultimately reeled in by City as Arsenal wilted under the physical and mental pressure.

Saka played 3,131 Premier League minutes across the season with Ødegaard clocking up 3,068. In attacking areas, City boss Pep Guardiola was able to rotate much more: Bernardo Silva amassed 2,119 minutes, Jack Grealish 2,063, Riyad Mahrez 2,063, Phil Foden 1,702. Even the headline act of Kevin De Bruyne (2,368) and Erling Haaland (2,686) were used far less than Arsenal's two key attackers.

July 2023: Signing Rice for 100m

Arsenal's aggression in the market to capitalise on their unexpected title push was palpable. They smashed their transfer record to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United, but in addition Kai Havertz was acquired from Chelsea for 67.5m and Jurriën Timber from Ajax for 34m. The shift in the club's mindset was clear: Arsenal's time had come. The three signings also continued a shift towards a more physically robust squad profile. Arsenal's set-piece prowess owes plenty to Jover's ingenuity but also the fact Arsenal are now a stronger and taller team than they were when Arteta took over.

October 2023: Finally beating City

Arteta inherited a poor Arsenal record against the top sides. In November 2020, the Gunners won a Premier League game at Manchester United for the first time in 14 years. In May 2021, they won at Stamford Bridge for the first time in a decade. In January 2023, the Gunners beat Tottenham away for the first time in eight years.

They were routinely thrashed by City but, finally, in October 2023, Arsenal beat Guardiola's side at Emirates Stadium as Martinelli's deflected 86th-minute winner was enough to secure a statement victory. All four of Arteta's substitutes combined in that move to secure his first league win over the club where he had begun his coaching career as part of Guardiola's staff.

April 2024: Losing to Villa and Bayern in four days

Arsenal only lost one league game in the second half of last season but, such was City's relentless form, their 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa was enough to cost them the title. They were knocked out of the Champions League four days later at Bayern Munich and both results hinted at the need for further attacking reinforcements this summer.

Arteta this week bristled at the suggestion in a news conference that he had only won one trophy. "And the Charity Shield twice as well, no? So, it's three," he replied. The Community Shield, as it is now known, isn't taken particularly seriously by serial winners. That is the next -- and final -- step Arsenal and Arteta need to take.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens waived disgruntled wide receiver Diontae Johnson on Friday, ending his drama-filled seven weeks with the team.

Johnson, who was acquired by the Ravens from the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29, can be claimed by a team starting Monday at 4 p.m.

Johnson's time with the Ravens amounted to 1 catch, 6 yards receiving, 39 snaps and a lot of frustration. He was suspended by Baltimore for one game after he refused to play Dec. 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles and was then excused from team activities this past week.

His departure comes at a time when the Ravens could use him the most. Baltimore might be very thin o experienced wide receivers after ruling out Nelson Agholor (concussion) and listing Rashod Bateman (foot) as questionable for Saturday's pivotal AFC North game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The lack of proven depth at wide receiver led the Ravens to send a fifth-round pick to the Panthers for Johnson and a sixth-round selection. Johnson, who was the leading receiver for Carolina at the time, failed to get significant playing time in four games for Baltimore and its No. 3 passing attack in the league.

In the 24-19 loss to the Eagles, Johnson suited up but then decided not to play, according to the team. The Ravens needed him because Bateman was ruled out in the second half of that game with a knee injury.

Three days later, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta announced that Johnson had been suspended for one game, describing the disciplinary action as a "difficult decision." When the suspension ended, Baltimore said it was mutually decided that Johnson would be excused from team activities for this week.

Now, the Ravens have moved on, closing out one of the most puzzling trades in team history. A third-round draft pick in 2019 by the Steelers, Johnson has totaled 422 catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns for Pittsburgh, Carolina and Baltimore.

Baltimore is dealing with other issues at wide receiver as well. There had been hope Agholor could get cleared from the concussion protocol for Saturday's game. But on Friday the Ravens downgraded their No. 3 wide receiver to out, an untimely loss for quarterback Lamar Jackson and the NFL's top-ranked offense.

In addition to not having Agholor and Johnson, Baltimore could be without Bateman, who was walking with a protective boot in the locker room Thursday.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined to comment on Bateman's status Thursday.

"I really have nothing to report on any of that stuff," Harbaugh said. "We'll be working through all of those things in the next few hours and few days even, but we'll be in good shape and be ready to roll on [Saturday]."

The Ravens' only healthy wide receiver on the 53-man roster who has caught more than 10 passes this season is Zay Flowers, who leads Baltimore with 66 receptions for 916 yards. The other wide receivers are Tylan Wallace, who has 10 catches for 191 yards, and rookie fourth-round pick Devontez Walker, who made his first career catch -- a 21-yard touchdown -- Sunday.

The Steelers also won't be at full strength at wide receiver. Pittsburgh ruled out leading receiver George Pickens (hamstring) for a third straight game.

Saturday's game in Baltimore is the biggest matchup in the AFC North this season. If Pittsburgh (10-4) wins, the Steelers will clinch their first division title since 2020. If Baltimore (9-5) wins, the Ravens will tie the Steelers atop the AFC North and have a 45% chance of capturing the division, according to ESPN Analytics.

NOTRE DAME DEFENSIVE coordinator Al Golden is not one to talk about his past, certainly not his past at Miami, where he held his last head coaching job nine years ago.

Those days are so long ago, he says, and he is in such a different place now. But here is the thing: There would be no Al Golden at Notre Dame without Al Golden at Miami.

Golden had to leave college ball to find himself. He went to the NFL because he needed to try something different. And it rejuvenated him -- to the point that he wanted to give college the ol' college try again.

Now in his third year, Golden has built a physical, aggressive, opportunistic Notre Dame defense based on NFL principles he picked up during assistant coaching stops with the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals. His schemes are complicated, but rely on sound technique, fundamentals and communication -- 11 players in sync, understanding what each must do to get the job done.

Headed into its first-round playoff game against Indiana on Friday night (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), the Notre Dame defense ranks first in team passing efficiency defense, tied for first in turnovers gained (28), first in defensive touchdowns (6), third in scoring defense (13.6), third in passing yards allowed (157.9), fourth in interceptions (17), tied for seventh in fumbles recovered (11) and ninth in total defense (296.8).

The Irish have held 10 of their 12 opponents to 16 or fewer points -- their best showing since the 2012 season. As a result, a coach who had to rediscover his love for the game after the lowest moment of his career has been named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant in the country.

Golden would rather talk about his players, the opportunity in front of the Irish and the job coach Marcus Freeman has done more than anything else. Each time a question is posed about the experiences that led him here, Golden stops and says, "You're making it about me again."

But those around him know that Notre Dame wouldn't be in this spot without him. Whether he likes it or not, this season has been a little bit about Al Golden.

GOLDEN WAS AT home on Dec. 4, 2015, watching "Thursday Night Football" between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. Six weeks earlier, he had been fired as Miami head coach, following the worst home loss in school history, a 58-0 drubbing by Clemson. Golden had no plans, other than to spend time with his family.

So he watched, in disbelief, as Aaron Rodgers threw a 61-yard Hail Mary to Richard Rodgers to give the Packers a come-from-behind 27-23 win. Three days later, Golden got a phone call from Lions head coach Jim Caldwell with a simple request: Come work for me. Now.

Caldwell was quarterbacks coach at Penn State when Golden played tight end for the Nittany Lions from 1988-91, so their connection went way back. But Golden asked for more time. "Circle back at the end of the season," Golden told him.

Caldwell did, convinced Golden would like coaching in the NFL. He was right.

Golden spent four seasons with the Lions, first as tight ends coach under Caldwell from 2016-17, then as linebackers coach from 2018-19 after Matt Patricia replaced Caldwell as head coach.

"I just wanted a different challenge," Golden said.

To that point, Golden had spent his entire career in the college game, working as a position coach, then a defensive coordinator. He got his first head coaching job at Temple in 2006. He worked a miracle there, turning around one of the worst programs in America and taking it to 17 wins in his final two seasons and their first bowl appearance in 30 years in 2009.

Considered a rising star in the profession, Miami hired him in 2011, eager to return to its past glory, believing his no-nonsense attitude would help get the job done.

Even in the South Florida heat and humidity, Golden wore a button-down dress shirt and orange tie, an homage to his college coach, Joe Paterno -- becoming one of the last coaches in America to dress in business attire on the sideline.

But as great as his plans to restore Miami might have been, Golden could never quite get the Hurricanes over the top, nor could he meet the demands of a fan base that expects championships every season. He never beat rival Florida State during his time there, nor did he win 10 games in a season. After ending 2014 with four straight losses to finish 6-7, fan discontent grew.

Miami fans sent airplanes over the stadium with banners proclaiming, "Fire Al Golden" at nearly every home game toward the end of his tenure. The situation became untenable.

Following the 58-0 loss to Clemson, Golden was fired. The entire experience drained him, making him question what he wanted to do and where he wanted to be. Every step he had taken to this point had been carefully ordered, climbing rungs one at a time to reach the ultimate goal: head coach. At one point, some even thought him a possible candidate at Penn State.

Miami was the first time in his career he had ever been fired.

Enter his quest for something a little different.

"You get to a point when you experience that as a head coach, and it doesn't go the way you want, you pour your heart and soul into it ... I bet if you ask the guys that I work with right now, could you ever imagine that guy being burnt out? I bet you they would be like, 'Are you kidding me?' The guy works like an animal," Golden says during a fleeting moment of introspection.

"But you get tired of it. I just needed a change."

So he got the change he wanted moving to Detroit. He found his joy, spent more time with his family and, he says, "fell in love with coaching again."

He moved on to the Bengals in 2020 as linebackers coach, believing he could make a difference with a franchise eager to grow and turn a corner, especially after drafting Joe Burrow to lead them in the 2020 draft. In 2021, the Bengals made a run to the Super Bowl and Golden was having the time of his life.

But as the Bengals were making their late season run, Freeman had been promoted from defensive coordinator to Notre Dame head coach. He needed a defensive coordinator who could pick up where his group left off and build it further, not tear it down and start from scratch.

He had friends on the Bengals staff who told him Golden was an integral part of their defensive growth, and suggested they talk.

"We had a brief conversation, and I was intrigued," Freeman said. "After three or four conversations, I was convinced that he was a guy that I wanted to lead our defense."

Golden finally got his chance to visit South Bend between the AFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. That cemented it for Golden and Freeman.

"It started with the philosophy and the fundamentals and the values that we both have, and what successful defense is," Freeman said. "It's not this one blitz or this one coverage, it's a philosophy of doing the little things right."

"To be with the Bengals at that time and be a part of that was just really something special," Golden said. "But when Notre Dame calls, you have to listen. So here we are."

EVERY DAY BEFORE practice, Notre Dame works on ball disruption drills, from punching the ball out to stripping the football and other techniques.

Then at the end of each week, they meet again to discuss ... ball disruption. Indeed, during his job interview with Freeman, Golden shared how he taught ball disruption in the NFL, in addition to tackling and situational football.

"He places a premium on that," safety Jordan Clark said. "That's how you impact the game. That's why you see the results that we've had this year."

Notre Dame has improved in this category since Golden arrived. In 2022, the Irish forced 15; last year, 24; this year, 28.

Another reason for the results is that Golden, 55, has been able to add more to his scheme, the more his players have a firmer understanding and grasp of what to do. He also has empowered his players to find solutions when mistakes or problems crop up.

"His defense and installs are definitely hefty, but I love it, because that's exactly what you're going to get in the NFL," defensive tackle Rylie Mills said. "The more you can prep for it now, then when you get there, it is going to be so much easier. He throws everything he's got at us, and it's helped us reach another level."

The defense this year brought back a veteran group eager to learn more: from Mills to safety Xavier Watts to Howard Cross III to Jack Kiser. But the unit has had to deal with its fair share of injuries too, losing starting cornerback Benjamin Morrison for the season and two linebackers in Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore, in addition to key reserves in the secondary. Eight different players have made their first career starts in 2024. Cross has missed the past month with a sprained ankle but is expected to play against Indiana.

The injuries have meant young players such as Leonard Moore, Adon Shuler and Bryce Young have had to step up and play more. Yet the defensive effort has not fallen off.

"Somewhere on this journey, we went from an experienced group to a group that has really brought on a lot of young people that have stepped up for us," Golden said.

Even new players, who have just been integrated this offseason, feel that. Clark chose to transfer to Notre Dame from Arizona State, in part to learn from Golden.

"You know that what you're learning here is going to be the same things that you would do at the next level because you're playing in an NFL system," Clark says. "His insight, his teaching, is invaluable. Being able to garner that knowledge from him, although incredibly difficult and frustrating at first, makes all the difference. I think that is a big part of why we're still playing this far into the season."

GOLDEN HAS GIVEN up the shirt and tie for half zips and sweatshirts. His comfort on the sideline is obvious. He came back to college at a time when there was a dramatic shift toward a more pro-style model with NIL and the transfer portal -- changes that have driven many college coaches either to the NFL or out of coaching.

Golden had no qualms about any of that when he arrived in 2022, wanting most of all to help impact young players the way he did earlier in his career -- and assist Freeman as he became a head coach for the first time. At times, Freeman will rely on Golden for advice based on his own experiences -- including navigating an expanded playoff, which Golden took part in during his time in the NFL.

There are even parallels between the pressure Golden faced to bring a national championship back to Miami, and the pressure Freeman faces to do the same with the Irish -- who last won a national title in 1988.

As for his own long-term future, and whether he wants one more shot to prove himself as a head coach, Golden says, "I'm having too much fun just being in the moment.

"I just want to do the best job I can, and if that leads to opportunities in the future, that leads to opportunities in the future," Golden said. "But I'm not seeking anything. I've always believed you try to improve where you are and leave it in a better place, and the rest of it takes care of itself. So that's my focus, and that's how I come to work every day, just loving the challenge that is being here at Notre Dame."