Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia looks on during their NFL game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Ford Field in Detroit, on Sunday, September 29, 2019. The Chiefs won the game, 34-30. Credit: Mike Mulholland/MLive.com via TNS
The last piece of Ohio State’s 2025 coaching staff has been filled.
The Buckeyes are hiring former NFL head coach and three-time Super Bowl champion Matt Patricia to be their next defensive coordinator, Jerry Emig, the sports information director for Ohio State football, confirmed to The Lantern.
In addition, Emig confirmed secondary/cornerbacks coach Tim Walton will be promoted to co-defensive coordinator, and safeties coach Matt Guerrieri will be promoted to passing game coordinator.
Head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes were tasked with finding a new defensive coordinator following the departure of Jim Knowles, who left Columbus to accept the same job at Penn State.
Patricia’s only Division l collegiate coaching experience was from 2001-2003, during which he served as an offensive graduate assistant for Syracuse University.
However, after spending 16 total seasons under New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Patricia and Belichick — who is now the head coach at North Carolina — spent a lot of time last year studying the college game, according to a Wednesday X post from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
From 2012-2017, Patricia served as defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, helping the team win two Super Bowls and leading a perennial top-10 defense alongside quarterback Tom Brady.
After six seasons as the defensive coordinator, Patricia accepted an offer to become the head coach of the Detroit Lions.
In his two full seasons as a head coach, Patricia notched a disappointing 9-22 record and was eventually fired midway through his third year, finishing his tenure with a 13-29 career record.
Most recently, Patricia served as a senior defensive assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.
