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Ohio State media members Jeremy Birmingham and Austin Ward were recently fired as co-hosts of THE Podcast alongside veteran Buckeyes beat writer Doug Lesmerises, and now it appears the reason why could lead to even more trouble for the duo. Lesmerises told that both Birmingham and Ward were terminated “for cause” but did not provide further details.
However, theories quickly arose on the famed Ohio State message board Eleven Warriors, including one from a longtime poster who seemed to have firsthand knowledge of the situation. A poster known simply as “The Oracle” revealed that THE Media company, which Birmingham and Ward worked for, is allegedly funded by the same people responsible for a massive chunk of direct NIL money given to Ryan Day and Ohio State players.
Ohio State Media Members Allegedly Pocketed NIL Funds Intended For Caleb Downs
The poster claims that the two of mishandled NIL funds from a sponsorship deal involving star safety Caleb Downs. Birmingham and Ward allegedly agreed to a $25,000 deal with Downs to promote their brand. However, the allegation claims that Downs only received $5,000. Birmingham and Ward reportedly pocketed the remaining $20,000.
As you can imagine, both now deny the allegations.
“The ’cause’ of the matter is a sponsorship for a recent series that the company alleges that I directly profited from and accuses me of theft,” Ward said in a statement released on Twitter. “This is unequivocally, demonstrably false, and all records can prove that easily.”
Birmingham also denied the claims. He replied to a since-deleted post asking about the allegations and called them “patently false and libelous.”
Neither Downs nor the Ohio State program, or THE Media company have responded to the allegations officially. Downs is not only one of the Buckeyes’ best players, but perhaps the best defensive player in the country and a project top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.