Ohio State reportedly working on a contract extension for Matt Patricia

The departure of former Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline continues to leave the Buckeyes with uncertainty within the coaching staff.

Thankfully for Ohio State, they may not have to face the same struggles when it comes to the defensive coordinator job.

According to an X post by Carson MacRae of The Silver Bulletin, Ohio State is currently working on a contract for defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. The extension is reportedly worth $3 million a year for three years. A return for Patricia would help the Buckeyes navigate huge losses to the defense for the 2026 season, however, after the coordinator’s fantastic first year with the Buckeyes, he will be a heavily sought-after member for many teams.

Ohio State is working on an offer to extend Matt Patricia amidst rumors of him returning to the NFL.

Sounds like he does not have any crazy asks and Ohio State is willing to play ball.
— Carson (@cmacrae13) January 6, 2026

A $3 million contract would place the defensive coordinator in a position to be one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in college football. Patricia’s contract would be worth $100,000 less than former Buckeye defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ $3.1 million contract with Penn State.

If Patricia returned to Ohio State, he would get a chance to push the Buckeyes to the No. 1-ranked defense for a third straight year.

In 2024, Knowles achieved this feat, coaching the defense to allow an average of 255 total yards per game. After Knowles left to become the Nittany Lions' defensive coordinator, Patricia took over, bringing the Buckeyes to even greater heights.

The 2025 Buckeye defense allowed an average of 223 total yards and just 10 points per game, both No. 1 in the nation.

Ohio State will likely be losing some notable defensive pieces next season due to the 2026 NFL draft, including linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, as well as safety Caleb Downs. While these positional shakeups will be an issue the Buckeyes must address, a returning Patricia would be an invaluable asset in assisting to rebuild the unit for the 2026 season.

No contract has been finalized, however, and many speculate that a social media post from the Ohio State coordinator may have been an unofficial goodbye to the program.

“Buckeye Nation, you are beyond compare,” Patricia said in the caption of an Instagram post of himself and his family. “On behalf of my entire family, thank you for welcoming us with open arms. You made this season a joy from start to finish.”

Ohio State could find itself in another situation identical to what they faced when they lost Knowles. The Buckeyes reportedly offered the Penn State coordinator a $2.75 million contract after the national championship but were outbid by the Nittany Lions.

Any top-ranked program would take a shot to offer Patricia a lucrative contract after seeing what he did with the Buckeyes this season, so expect a potential bidding war for the former NFL head coach.

Speaking of the league, Patricia could return to the pros instead of staying in college football. After Black Monday, the day after the final NFL regular season game, which sees huge coaching staff shakeups, many head coaching positions opened.

While it is unlikely Patricia will return to spearhead an NFL team as their head coach, he could fill a spot left vacant from a defensive coordinator taking a head coaching job.

Defensive coordinators Robert Saleh of the San Francisco 49ers, Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos and Steve Spagnuolo of the Kansas City Chiefs are all major head coaching candidates for the six NFL teams that currently lack a head coach.

Patricia had a long career in the NFL and is mostly remembered for being the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots from 2012 to 2017, winning two Super Bowls. The Buckeye coordinator was not so successful during his stint as a head coach, going 13-29-1 over his three seasons with the Detroit Lions.