Matt Patricia's message to Ohio State football has fans worried he might be out the door

The Ohio State football season may not have ended with the Buckeyes hoisting the National Championship trophy for the second consecutive season, but it still was one that many can be proud of. One person in particular certainly can be happy with how his unit performed, and that is defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

Patricia's defense was the best in the country throughout the entire 2025 football season. Ohio State has always had a great defense, but after losing Jim Knowles to Penn State in the offseason, there was some worry about how the Buckeyes would look in 2025. Patricia came in, though, and elevated this defense more than anyone could have thought possible.

With the end of a season, it isn't uncommon for players and coaches to make a social media post reflecting on things. Patricia did just that, but it has fans worrying that it is more of a goodbye than a thank-you post.

Matt Patricia's message to Ohio State fans has them feeling deja vu from 2024

"Buckeye Nation, you are beyond compare," Patricia said in his post on Instagram. "On behalf of my entire family, thank you for welcoming us with open arms. You made this season a joy from start to finish."

Now, there are many ways to read this message. The first way is to see it simply as a thank you message to fans and Patricia truly just being happy about the season, especially with it being his first in Columbus.

The second way to read it is as a goodbye message, and Patricia is thanking Buckeye Nation for everything they did, and he will remember them fondly. There have been some rumors of Patricia heading back to the NFL after a one-year stint at Ohio State, but with Black Monday having just ended, those rumors might not grow for a couple of weeks.

Ohio State fans might be feeling some deja vu from last offseason when Knowles left, but it feels like Patricia won't be going to another college program. If he leaves, it feels like it has to be for an NFL team.