The Buckeye State just got a familiar face, and a serious dose of credibility, to launch its newest pro football franchise.

The United Football League announced Friday that Ohio State legend Ted Ginn Jr. has been named the inaugural head coach of the Columbus Aviators, who will kick off their first season in spring 2026.

It’s a homecoming years in the making. Ginn, a Cleveland native and one of the most electric players in Ohio State history, now takes the reins in Columbus where he became a three-time first-team All-American and helped lead the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship Game in 2006.

UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon didn’t mince words when praising the hire, calling Ginn a “proven winner” whose passion for the state – and deep football knowledge – makes him the perfect architect for a brand-new franchise.

Ginn brings a resune that speaks for itself.

After being selected ninth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft, he carved out a 14-year NFL career with stops in Miami, San Francisco, Carolina, Arizona, New Orleans, and Chicago. His time with the Panthers alone is enough to fill a highlight reel with six punt return records and a huge role in the 2015 NFC Championship run, a season where he also caught 10 touchdowns.

Now, instead of burning defenses, he’ll be building them. And Ginn sounded every bit the motivated leader in his introduction, emphasizing both his Columbus ties and his desire to start a “new winning tradition” in a city that shaped his football journey.

He won’t walk this path alone.

Jim Tressel, the coach who helped turn Ginn into a Buckeye icon, praised the hire immediately, saying Ginn will be a strong influence and a classy representative for Ohio and the UFL.

Senior VP of Player Personnel Doug Whaley echoed that sentiment, noting Ginn’s love for the game and his deep roots within Ohio’s youth football culture. If the UFL wanted a leader who could build a roster, inspire a locker room, and energize a fanbase? They found him.

And for Columbus? This is a statement. A hometown star is returning not for nostalgia, but to build something brand new, and raise the bar for professional spring football in Central Ohio.

The Aviators just took flight … and Ted Ginn Jr. is in the cockpit.