“Seems like a no-brainer”: Ex-Ohio State star A.J. Hawk weighs in on Ryan Day’s giant $12.5M per year contract extension

After winning the College Football Playoff, Ohio State coach Ryan Day has signed a new seven-year contract extension with the team worth $12.5 million a year. This will keep the coach in the program until the 2031 season.

Former Buckeyes star A.J. Hawk made an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday and gave his reaction to the Buckeyes coach's new deal.

"I'm happy for Ryan Day signing this giant extension. It seems like a no-brainer. The run that they went on in the College Football Playoff is something that we'll look back on for years and years in the state of Ohio."

Hawk played for the Buckeyes between 2002 and 2005, winning the national championship in his first year.

Day has been coach of the Buckeyes since 2018, and during his stint, the program has been a near constant figure in the College Football Playoff. Day has led the Buckeyes to the CFP in four of six seasons, but only made the national championship game once before 2024.

Despite his impressive record in charge of the team (70-10), when Ohio State have lost games, they have all been important ones. They have lost the last four meetings with their fierce rivals, the Michigan Wolverines (the most important game of the year in the eyes of Ohio State fans), and have struggled against numerous top-five ranked teams.

However, despite losing to Michigan and not making an appearance in the Big Ten championship game in 2024, this season will be considered a success for Ryan Day and Ohio State. In the newly expanded 12-team CFP, the Buckeyes went on a run that saw them dominate all of their opponents and cruise to a national championship, defeating Notre Dame in the championship game.

Is Ryan Day now the highest-paid coach in College Football?

Ryan Day's new contract is worth $12.5 million per year. But, does this make him the highest-paid coach in College Football?

USA Today has reported that Day's new salary will make him the second-highest-paid coach in college football behind Kirby Smart, coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. Smart is reportedly earning $13 million a year.

Coming into his national championship-winning season, Day was making around $10 million a year, placing him at No. 5 in the rankings.

His new contract after his championship win has seen him rise three positions, overtaking the likes of Dabo Swinney (Clemson Tigers), Steve Sarkisian (Texas Longhorns), and Lincoln Riley (USC).