Ohio State’s Ryan Day has recently led his team to their first national championship in the College Football Playoff’s 12-team format, making him a celebrated figure in Columbus. However, this wasn’t always the case—following a fourth consecutive loss to rival Michigan last November, Day found himself in the crosshairs of critical Ohio State fans. As detailed by his wife, Nina Day, in an interview with The Columbus Dispatch, the hostility directed at her husband escalated to shocking levels, with some comments even referencing his father’s tragic death by suicide when Day was only eight years old. “They told me multiple times to have Ryan follow in his father’s footsteps and kill himself,” Nina recounted.
As her story circulated on social media, people recalled a post from Ohio State podcast host @B1G_Ryan, who had made a distasteful comment after the Buckeyes’ loss to the Wolverines. In a now-deleted post from November 30, he suggested that Day should take advice from his late father. Although largely overlooked during the College Football Playoff run, the post resurfaced after Nina’s remarks, prompting backlash from fans and former players who condemned @B1G_Ryan. While he issued multiple apologies, he also engaged in heated arguments on social media, which even led to the suspension of former Ohio State linebacker Cie Grant’s account. Amidst this controversy, @B1G_Ryan remained silent but eventually returned to acknowledge his misstep, announcing a $500 donation to the Day family’s charity, the Kids Mental Health Foundation.
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I discussed the situation and apologized more at length on our most recent episode of HSF: https://t.co/ZX6YHQ2X7I
— B1G_Ryan (@B1G_Ryan) February 4, 2025
In the latest episode of his podcast, he addressed the offensive tweet, saying, “I want to apologize very sincerely for the Ryan Day tweet in November. I want to make it clear that I’m embarrassed and ashamed of what I said. It crossed several lines and was beyond the pale. I am genuinely very sorry for having said it in the first place and even more so that it seems like people had sent that tweet to Ryan Day’s family.” He acknowledged that he had never contacted the Day family directly but recognized the role his post played in the vitriol directed at them. “Players and coaches’ families should never be harassed or even really mentioned,” he added.
Clearly, the original post went beyond legitimate criticism of Day’s coaching performance. While it is acceptable to critique a coach for not winning against rivals or in key games, invoking the trauma of a player’s family history is entirely unacceptable. By taking accountability for his actions through an apology and a donation to the Day’s foundation, @B1G_Ryan is attempting to make amends. Although his efforts may not satisfy everyone, at least the $500 contribution will benefit a cause close to the Day family.
