Now, in the United Football League, D.J. Miller Jr. is playing the best football in his professional career. A former member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Miller is among 22 former Chiefs players who are now getting a second chance at professional ball through the UFL.
Miller was signed by the Chiefs as an unrestricted free agent following the 2024 NFL draft. Playing collegiate ball for Kent State, Miller recorded 50 combined tackles, one interception, three passes defended, and a fumble recovery in 2023 with the Golden Flashes.
Miller mainly played safety for the Chiefs. He appeared in all three preseason games for the organization but failed to make it past the final 53-man roster cut.
Selected in the ninth round of the UFL draft last year, Miller knew immediately what his next step was when the NFL didn’t go his way. Miller even plays alongside two former Chiefs players in edge rusher Breeland Speaks and safety Tyree Gillespie, who all make a meaningful impact for the Michigan Panthers.
Friday night, Miller made UFL history. In just his second UFL game ever, in a clash with the Birmingham Stallions, Miller secured interceptions in the second and fourth quarters of the game, making him the only player in league history to record multiple picks in a single game.
Now thriving with his new team, perhaps this is the boost that Miller needed to get him back in an NFL uniform. His teammate, Breeland Speaks, was awarded the UFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award last season. If Miller keeps playing the way he is, it could very well be him hoisting the trophy this season.
Whether or not this gets Miller back in the room with an NFL team is still up to chance, but it’s rewarding to see a former Chiefs player thriving. Maybe this time he gets a shot at playing cornerback instead of safety; perhaps that’s what was holding him back the whole time. Be sure to keep an eye out on Miller and the Panthers as they continue their season in the UFL!