Julian Sayin is making noise as an Ohio State standout, but the Sayin name hit the field long before that. His older brother, Aidan, three years his senior, signed with the Pennsylvania Quakers in 2021. He completed a four-year stint and, after two years, he is now leveling up with a pro squad tied to an Ohio State legend.

“BREAKING: The Columbus Aviators are signing Aidan Sayin,” reported Buckeye Backers analyst Cody Croy. “The brother of Ohio State QB Julian Sayin.”

The UFL is landing in Buckeye country. The Columbus Aviators debut in 2026, with the league banking on Columbus’s close ties to Ohio State and other Ohio programs. Julian’s brother will play under Buckeyes football legend Ted Ginn Jr., who has been named head coach. 

Ginn is coming back to Columbus after starring as a three-time first-team All-American at Ohio State. He led the Buckeyes to the 2006 BCS National Championship Game. The Buckeyes legend will now help Aidan, Julian’s role model, return to football after a two-year absence. 

Growing up, mornings started early for the Sayin brothers. Before sunrise, Julian and Aidan were already grinding at Pine Park in downtown Carlsbad, chasing the perfect throw.

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“My brother, it was awesome to have him growing up as a mentor, then someone who I was competing with every day,” Julian said in an interview with ESPN last year. “I was trying to be better than him, so it was a lot of fun going to quarterback workouts with him and we grew up a lot [as passers] during that time.”

Besides practicing with his elder brother, Aidan’s stat sheet was enough to inspire Julian. The elder Sayin was a two-time letter winner in high school. With 920 passing yards and five touchdowns leading the team, he became the engine of the Quakers’ attack.

Aidan shouldered the offensive load, finishing second in the Ivy League with 2,344 passing yards one season and later averaging 184.7 yards per game as a co-captain. Aidan finished the year with 1,108 passing yards, averaging 184.7 yards per game, a sign of an offense that leaned on his arm to move the chains week after week.

In October 2024, Aidan injured his elbow during a game against Yale, ending his college career. Julian’s brother will return to the field after nearly two years. The Sayin brothers’ reunion echoes another football family story. The Birmingham Stallions drafted wideout Samson Nacua in the January 2026 UFL Draft, while his younger brother, Puka Nacua, shines with the Los Angeles Rams.

Aidan’s new team, the Columbus Aviators, enter their first season in the UFL as one of three brand-new franchises coming up in 2026. The man leading them, Ted Ginn Jr., is the perfect choice to jumpstart this squad. During his Buckeye playing days, Ginn averaged 25.6 yards per reception during his freshman year and was also productive on special teams. He returned four punts for touchdowns in 2004, setting a Big Ten record, and earned First-Team All-American honors. Suffice to say, Aiden is in good hands.

With the elder brother returning to the sport, what does the 2026 season have in store for Julian?

Julian Sayin’s test for the 2026 season

The 2025 season brought some heartbreak for the Buckeyes’ quarterback. Julian lost the Heisman race, ending up in fourth place with 432 points and eight first-place votes. But the 2026 season is already promising big things for him. 

This season brings a fresh offensive mind to Columbus. Arthur Smith, the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach, slides in as offensive coordinator after Brian Hartline left the Buckeyes to lead USF. Meanwhile, their head coach, Ryan Day, is already convinced that Julian is the best of the lot, period.

“We feel like we have the best quarterback coming back in college football next year,” Day said during The Ryan Day Show. Some SEC teams like Georgia and South Carolina might disagree. But neither Gunner Stockton nor LaNorris Sellers made the Heisman final four.

In the coach’s words, seeing an underclassman walk into the Heisman ceremony is a rare sight. But at the same time, Day has kept his expectations straight from Julian. 

“He did a great job this season of going down to the scout team, competing, going against the best defense in the country every day in practice,” said the head coach. “So, all that stuff really is going to add up to having a big spring and preseason for him.”

Julian Sayin sat atop PFF’s February 1 rankings of returning quarterbacks for 2026, posting a 92.9 grade, leaving behind competitors like Dante Moore and Brendan Sorsby. With Aidan launching his pro career in Columbus and Julian aiming to turn a Heisman near-miss into a championship, 2026 is shaping up to be the most pivotal season yet for the Sayin football legacy.