Hurray for Ohio State for winning their first national championship title since 2014! It’s celebration time for all the Buckeyes — coaches, players, alums, and fans alike. But have you seen Ryan Day‘s reaction? He never looked so happy as he burst onto the field jumping and smiling like an excited 4-year-old who just opened a Christmas present! That’s the joy and satisfaction of a coach who faced relentless pressure not only on himself but on his family as a whole. 

Ryan Day acknowledged his pressure and attacks of being the Buckeyes’ HC saying he signed up for the extremities. But the question is — should his family be bearing the same kind of stress? SI senior writer Ross Dellenger uploaded a statement from OSU’s AD Ross Bjork on X on January 20. He wrote, “There’s no way he should go thru the stuff, especially his family. It’s one thing to criticize play calling, but the personal stuff is uncalled for. And what I hope that people really take away from this is we have the best coach in the country.”

While Ryan Day took the worst hit with even some unhinged fans wanting him dead, the criticism that extends to his family is uncalled for. In the days leading up to the CFP National Championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, fans were able to get a glimpse into what goes on in the Day household through his wife. During her interview with a local media outlet, Nina Day came clean on how losing to Michigan took a toll on not just her husband, but their family has to face fans’ wrath too. 

Nina Day mentioned that the weeks between their loss to the Wolverines and the Tennessee playoff game were “brutal.” Per her confession, “I was very upset about what was happening to some of our players and my children. It just wasn’t right.” She also added that their three children had to face the negative consequences from crazy fans, saying, “They saw a lot of people come at their dad. They saw a lot of people attack him and attack our family.” They even had to pose a guard for protection! 

But her bottom line was – “You can overcome it.” And yeah, they did. Ryan Day is the happiest in the world right now and that 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the ultimate CFP showdown summarizes Bjork’s final line. But is he and his family going to go through another episode of stress from that toxic percentage of the OSU fanbase? 

What’s next for Ryan Day after the OSU National Championship?

Following the National Championship win on Monday, Ryan Day reiterated his past statement, “This game can bring you to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.” But as he revels in the glory of this highest point in his career in Columbus, does it make up for all the mental issues his family had to deal with? After all, he puts his family above all else as OC Chip Kelly revealed, “Every decision he makes revolves around his family.” And Nina Day backs up this statement when she told the media, “Before he leaves (for games), he says, ‘no matter what, we always have each other.’”

Matt Hayes of USA Today suggested a drastic yet reasonable advice for the Buckeyes HC saying, “I have some advice for Ryan Day, 45, who earns $10 million annually to be the caretaker of this zoo: leave. Now.” Now that Ryan Day accomplished the top CFB feat in Columbus, Hayes added, “Walk away with your pride, your dignity and your wife’s and family’s safety and security.” 

Winning a national championship has always been on the wishlist for Ryan Day, but there’s just one unfinished business with that team up north. But will he prioritize his family’s peace or take another swing at another unpredictable season in Columbus?