Ouch, Chiefs! You definitely know how it feels to be rejected and then go on to smash records. Yeah, given what DJ Miller just did, the Chiefs might want to take a seat for this one. Friday night at Ford Field was a blast. Not for a performance by Taylor Swift. Not in hopes of a Lions playoff run. But for a man who barely made it through the NFL roster cut six months ago.

For context: The Kansas City Chiefs cut the former Kent State standout during final roster cuts, ending his dreams of becoming a major NFL player. Despite not being selected in the 2024 draft, DJ Miller attracted Kansas City’s attention as a free agent. Miller showed signs of promise at safety during his three preseason games, but he was on the outside looking in when the Chiefs reduced their roster to 53. Careers are ended by this type of heartbreak. For Miller, however, it was just the start.

Fast forward to April 4th, 2025: DJ Miller was not only returning to football but also changing the course of UFL history. In the Michigan Panthers’ gritty home opener against the defending champion Birmingham Stallions, Miller picked off not one, but two passes thrown by former NFL quarterback Matt Corral. One each during the second and fourth quarters. Miller became the first player in UFL history to record multiple interceptions in a single game.

And it wasn’t just the stat sheet that caught fire—so did the stadium. Miller! Miller! was the spontaneous chant that broke out from the Ford Field crowd. As far as spring football goes, that was a full-blown “main character” moment. And yes, we checked twice—even the PA announcer had to pause for dramatic effect.

D.J. Miller became the most talked-about subject of Week 2 despite the Panthers losing 21-12 because their offence struggled to transform Miller’s turnovers into points. It was like Miller did his job, but the offense didn’t. He was everywhere on the field: Made crucial tackles, read the quarterback’s eyes, and appeared to be an experienced professional who had been questioned too much.

Miller used Friday nights to yell, “You got it wrong,” if the Chiefs thought he was just another camp body. He appeared to be in full lockdown mode as a cornerback and was no longer merely playing safety. There is already speculation about whether an NFL team may call again because of his flexibility and ball-hawking instincts. Perhaps they will try him at corner, where he obviously feels completely at home.

Not to mention the background: this was not a field interception exercise. It took place beneath the lights at Ford Field, a modern NFL stadium that typically plays host to the Detroit Lions. That’s no small stage. For DJ Miller, it was validation. For Kansas City, it might just be a reminder of what they let slip away.

DJ Miller leads the charge in ex-Chiefs takeover

DJ Miller’s breakthrough performance wasn’t an isolated incident. It was part of a subtle trend that is beginning to take on the appearance of a full-blown phenomenon: former Chiefs players are finding refuge with the Panthers. And not just any players—these are guys who once shared a locker room with Patrick Mahomes, the face of the NFL.

Breeland Speaks, the Chiefs’ 2018 second-round selection, was once hailed in Kansas City as a future defensive star, but he never really settled in the NFL. In the UFL, though? He turned into a monster. Speaks led the Panthers’ pass rush the previous season and was named the UFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was unrelenting, commanding, and—above all—reliable, which Kansas City never witnessed.

Another former Chiefs’ safety who is currently playing for the Panthers is Tyree Gillespie. Gillespie, like DJ Miller, wanted a chance at redemption. It’s no accident that the Panthers have developed into one of the UFL’s most physically strong and well-organised defensive teams with Miller, Speaks, and Gillespie at the core of the defence.

All of it has a peculiar poetic quality. “What have you done for me lately?” is a common mindset in the NFL. Players who don’t show off right away are passed over for younger, faster, more attractive prospects. However, underappreciated talent is starting to flourish in the UFL and disprove the sceptics. In Michigan, these former Chiefs are no longer fighting for snaps—they’re running the show.

Fascinatingly, these players have utilised their time in the UFL as stepping stones rather than as consolation prizes. Speaks has already been brought up in NFL discussions once already, and if Miller keeps up this record-breaking pace, it won’t be long until some NFL GM watches the highlight reel and calls. People pay attention when you start a spring football game and end it with a record-breaking performance.

Even though the Panthers lost to the Stallions, they gained a core group of eager, NFL-caliber defenders who had a common chip on their shoulder, a common rejection story, and a common experience. The momentum is evident as they get ready to play the San Antonio Brahmas the following week. It’s an excellent defense. And DJ Miller? He’s not just playing football—he’s rewriting his football story.

DJ Miller found another access even though the Kansas City Chiefs had closed the door. And he’s making noise so loud that even the NFL has to start listening.