The Ohio State Buckeyes were knocked out of the College Football Playoff by the Miami Hurricanes in heartbreaking fashion.
Following that loss, Ohio State has seen quite a few players take their talent elsewhere via the NCAA transfer portal. For Ryan Day and company, a lot of work will be needed to make sure that the Buckeyes come back in 2026 as a legitimate National Championship contender.
With that being said, Day and Ohio State could be at risk of losing an elite coach off of their staff.
According to a report from Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer, Matt Patricia is a name of interest to professional teams who are looking for defensive coordinators.
Ohio State Could Potentially Lose Matt Patricia to the NFL
As shared by 97.1 The Fan on X, Breer revealed that Patricia is of interest to NFL teams. However, he did note that it doesn’t sound like Patricia is closing in on a deal with an NFL team at this point in time.
“I don’t think you guys would be surprised to hear that Patricia is on a couple of these lists,” Breer said. “I haven’t gotten any sort of indication, right now, that he’s closing in on one of the DC jobs.”
While Breer is making it clear that Patricia isn’t closing in on leaving the Buckeyes right now, there is a very real chance that Ohio State could lose its elite defensive coordinator.
During the 2025 college football season, Patricia led the Buckeyes to being arguably the nation’s best defense. Even though Ohio State lost a lot of defensive talent to the NFL Draft last offseason, Patricia got the most out of his players.
In an ideal world, the Buckeyes would be able to retain Patricia. He became one of the best defensive coordinators in college football last season. Losing him after just one year would be a tough blow for an Ohio State team that badly needs to get back on track in 2026.
The Buckeyes Are Again Losing a Lot of Talent to the NFL
Next season, the Buckeyes are going to need to work with a fairly new-look defense once again.
Among the players who are expected to be drafted in the 2026 draft on the defensive side of the football are safety Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Kayden McDonald. Other players who could be drafted are cornerback Davison Igbinosun and defensive end Caden Curry.
Bringing Patricia back would be ideal. His defensive mind will be needed as Ohio State navigates more defensive changes with players leaving Columbus.
Only time will tell whether or not an NFL team comes calling with an offer for Patricia. He is in a great situation with the Buckeyes and will not jump at an offer that doesn’t make sense. However, with the season he put together in 2025, it’s not surprising to hear professional interest in Patricia.
Expect to hear more about a potential departure from Ohio State for Patricia. There is no need to panic yet, but this is a cause for potential concern.
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