Ohio State University is set to appoint Matt Patricia, a former head coach of the Detroit Lions, as its new defensive coordinator, as confirmed by a source close to the situation.
This information was disclosed under the condition of anonymity, as no formal announcement has been made yet.
Ryan Day, the head coach of Ohio State, who previously guided the team to the national championship, has a lucrative agreement in place, which is a seven-year contract worth $12.5 million annually.
With the departure of Jim Knowles, who has accepted the same role at Penn State, Patricia’s hiring comes at a crucial time for the Buckeyes’ defensive strategy.
Having been a Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator with the New England Patriots under the legendary Bill Belichick, the 50-year-old Patricia is being given another opportunity in coaching after being let go by the Philadelphia Eagles last year.
He had served as the defensive play-caller for the Eagles towards the end of the 2023 season, but was dismissed following their early playoff exit against Tampa Bay.
Patricia’s tenure with the Lions came to an end during the 2020 season, finishing with a disappointing 13-29-1 record over two-plus seasons.
He later returned to New England as an assistant head coach in 2021, taking on roles including offensive line coach and senior advisor in 2022.
Throughout his impressive 14-year career with the Patriots, Patricia spent six seasons as the defensive coordinator, although his unit struggled in the Super Bowl against the Eagles, conceding 41 points and 538 yards.
An alum of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Patricia holds a degree in aeronautical engineering, where he played both center and guard on the football team.
After spending two years as an aeronautical engineer, he shifted gears to pursue a coaching career, starting as a graduate assistant at RPI, before moving on to coach the defensive line at Amherst College and serve as a graduate assistant at Syracuse.
His career took a significant turn when Belichick brought him into the Patriots organization as an offensive assistant in 2004.
