Ryan Day Reveals Former NFL HC’s Surprise Role in Son RJ’s College Career Decision
As Ohio State head coach Ryan Day prepares for the 2026 season, his son RJ is also preparing to enter college football soon. The DeSales QB made a choice about his future a few months ago. According to his father, RJ Day also received some advice from a former NFL head coach in making his decision.
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“It was unique, for sure. But what was really great was that it was about the relationships,” Day said on CBS Sports on August 21. “Anytime, as a dad, you’re handing your son over to people. It isn’t even so much about the football. I mean, football was everything to my son. He’s obsessed, and I’m really proud of what he’s accomplished and the opportunities that he has moving forward. But it was more about the people and certainly Chip being involved. David was very important, but Jerry was excellent, and he hit it off with RJ.”
“I think Jon Gruden sat down with me and RJ earlier in the spring, and the only advice he gave him was, “You find somebody that believes in you,” and he believed Jerry believed in RJ. I think they hit it off. It was having a dad as a coach and everything that came with that. So, that was fun to see him find that connection.”
As a Super Bowl-winning coach who has evaluated hundreds of quarterbacks, Gruden told RJ to ignore the brand names, stadium sizes, or media noise. For RJ, that advice instantly pointed toward Evanston. RJ felt that Northwestern quarterbacks coach Jerry Neuheisel and head coach David Braun believed in his actual skillset and traits rather than just recruiting him for his famous last name.
Gruden understands the intense pressure of football legacy. His own father, Jim Gruden, was a long-time college and NFL coach/scout, and his son, Deuce Gruden, worked directly on his coaching staff. The former Tampa Bay head coach knew exactly what it felt like to navigate the sport under a father’s shadow.
Gruden is currently a media analyst and not an active college recruiter; he could look at RJ’s options objectively. His endorsement of Neuheisel’s genuine belief gave RJ the confidence to forge his own path. Ultimately, Gruden’s advice helped the three-star prospect look past the “awkwardness” of visiting opposing campuses with his dad and securely lock in his commitment to the Wildcats.
A little help also came from Chip Kelly, the former head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, who shares a deep friendship with Ryan Day. Day worked under Kelly in the NFL as a quarterbacks coach. After Kelly served as Day’s offensive coordinator at Ohio State, he moved on to take the offensive coordinator job at Northwestern (following a brief stint in the NFL).
Day noted that sending a son off to college is difficult for any parent. But having Kelly on the staff made the choice much easier. “Certainly, I know Chip. I’ve known him my whole life, so I trust Chip,” Day shared with The Columbus Dispatch.
Kelly immediately established a “great relationship” with RJ during the recruiting process. He drew on his extensive background in NFL and college quarterback development to show how RJ would fit into the Wildcats’ future offenseoffense.
With RJ Day officially committed to Northwestern, the Day household is bracing for some unique intra-conference competition. In 2027, Ohio State and Northwestern will meet as Big Ten opponents.
RJ’s commitment to the Wildcats
RJ Day’s recruitment concluded earlier this year, when he officially committed to Northwestern for the Class of 2027. As a three-star quarterback out of St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio, His recruitment was one of the most closely followed storylines in the Big Ten because of his father.
247Sports assigned RJ an 84 rating, tracking him as the No. 68 overall player in Ohio. The QB built his recruiting value purely on high school production. He is DeSales’ all-time career leader with 5,714 passing yards and 54 touchdowns, breaking single-season school records as a junior with 2,710 yards and 25 touchdowns. While he did not hold an offer from Ohio State, he pulled 18 total scholarship offers. His final choice came down to Northwestern over Purdue, South Florida, Cincinnati, Boston College, and Syracuse.
“He told me the next day. ‘Dad, that’s the first time I’ve slept in two months since he decided to commit; it was a special weekend,” Day said on his son’s recruitment. “RJ committed on Mother’s Day, which meant a lot to my wife. So it’s been great, and I’m excited to see what this senior year is like for him. It’s a little depressing for me knowing that he’s leaving.”
