Ryan Day went from being on the hot seat to looking like he’s going to be at Ohio State for a while.
Day’s current contract runs through the 2028 season, but after the Buckeyes lost to Michigan in the regular season finale, there were fans and media members suggesting the program needed to move on from him. Fast forward two months and Ohio State just won the national championship, silencing all of Day’s critics.
Even before the College Football Playoff, OSU decision makers had said they intended to keep Day for 2025, but the Buckeyes’ national title means the commitment is going to last beyond that.
At the team’s championship celebration Sunday, university president Ted Carter confirmed that the two sides are working on a contract extension.
“We’re working it. We don’t have any announcements yet, but we have intent.” Carter said, via 11W’s Chase Brown. “I know Ryan wants to stay here, so we’re working the details.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 20: Head coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 in the 2025 CFP National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Day, 45, received a $1 million bonus for winning the national championship and now looks like he’ll be rewarded even more financially.
It has been an enjoyable turnaround for him and his family, who were the target of vile threats in the days after the loss to Michigan on Nov. 30.
“We had to figure out how to survive in our reality,” Day’s wife Nina said. “We didn’t know what the next five weeks were going to bring. We hoped for the best. We believed in Ryan.”
Fresh off a title, Day might be busy in the coming days. Penn State is reportedly on the verge of luring away Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and a new report from CBS’ Jonathan Jones indicates NFL teams are lurking around offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 1: Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes walks off the field after the Rose Bowl game against Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 1, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
“With all but one head coaching vacancy filled in the NFL, the attention now turns to who will get the offensive coordinator spots that are open around the league,” Jones said. “And sources tell CBS Sports that at the top of the list for several teams is former NFL head coach and current Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
“Kelly is considered a target for both the Jaguars and Texans OC positions, sources say. He also could get looks in Tampa Bay, among other potential landing spots.”
The grind never stops when you’re in charge of a premier program.
