Ohio State’s decision on Wednesday to hire Matt Patricia as the team’s next defensive coordinator has ignited significant backlash among the fanbase. Buckeye fans have expressed their discontent, recalling Patricia’s troubled NFL career and his infamous tenure as head coach of the Detroit Lions, which left him a figure of ridicule. Despite his previous experience with Super Bowl-winning teams, his past is overshadowed by this failure, and it’s clear that many have not forgotten.
Notwithstanding the criticisms, Ohio State is moving forward with Patricia. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported, “Ohio State is finalizing a deal to hire Matt Patricia as the school’s new defensive coordinator.” This hire comes on the heels of the program losing both its offensive and defensive coordinators during the offseason, with the Las Vegas Raiders enticing Kelly away and rival Penn State offering a hefty sum for Jim Knowles. While reshaping a coaching staff is not an uncommon occurrence, the choice of Patricia raises eyebrows, given his less-than-stellar track record.
The Buckeyes won the National Championship last season but have struggled against rival Michigan, failing to secure a victory since 2019. Michigan fans are no strangers to Patricia’s failures, which only serves to fuel their enthusiasm. The dissatisfaction among Buckeye fans was palpable following the announcement of Patricia’s hiring.
Absolutely pathetic hire by Day.
— Matt C. Shoot (@confirmedshoot.latenightgrin.com) February 12, 2025 at 12:10 PM
I am obviously hoping to be proven wrong, but this is about as polar opposite to what I was hoping for as you could possibly get. https://t.co/rTlnRCDB3H
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) February 12, 2025
I don’t like this hire at all. Respectfully, I think Matt Patricia is a bad football coach. I thought he was a detriment to the Patriots defense for years while overseeing a unit that continuously got worse. His time with the Lions was a disaster (not long after he left they… https://t.co/z9ZuEVB9rg
— Mark Dondero (@MarkDondero) February 12, 2025
The Patriots didn’t punt in the Super Bowl with Tom Brady at quarterback and they lost. Wonder who the DC was! https://t.co/X9AxUwHfBL
— Matt Spalding (@MattJBasketball) February 12, 2025
