Braxton Miller does not play the “what-if” game, not because it’s too painful but because it serves no positive purpose.
Would the former Ohio State quarterback have preferred that his shoulder injury not cost him the 2014 national championship season? Of course. But dwelling on what could have been takes away from what was.
Miller was the father of 2-year-old Landon in 2014. The injury allowed the then 21-year-old to spend more time parenting, which was an unexpected blessing amid the curse of a season cut short. And being better prepared as a dad a decade ago has allowed the 31-year-old retired quarterback/wide receiver to be more in tune with his son’s needs today.
“I was just happy I was able to be a full (healthy) human being and a full-time dad,” said Miller, who was recently inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame.
More: Braxton Miller son earns first college football offer from Tom Herman, Florida Atlantic
Landon, 12, is a promising quarterback in his own right, having already received a Class of 2031 scholarship offer from Florida Atlantic, coached by former OSU offensive coordinator Tom Herman. Crazy, yes, but it shows the bloodlines are strong.
Landon was barely crawling when his father led the Buckeyes to a 12-0 season in 2012 and a 12-2 record in 2013, earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors both years. But the 2014 Orange Bowl proved life changing for the two-year starting QB. On the fifth play of a 40-35 loss to Clemson, Miller got hit by Tigers defensive end Vic Beasley, dislocating a shoulder.
From afar, the injury did not appear to be too serious, because Miller finished the game, completing 16 of 24 passes for 234 yards. In reality, Miller’s career as a quarterback ended that day.
“I played through it, still finished the game, but two weeks after I couldn’t sleep,” Miller said. “I called coach (Urban) Meyer, had an MRI and it was a torn ligament.”
Miller put off surgery, choosing to rehab the shoulder for five months. But two weeks into fall camp he attempted a pass and crumpled to the turf. The shoulder had popped out of socket.
“I was screaming, crying. And I blacked out,” he said, adding that surgery became a necessity, not an option. “First and foremost, if I can’t pick up my right arm, that’s real dangerous.”
The news hit Ohio State fans hard. Miller was a Heisman Trophy contender and thought to be the key piece to a 2014 national title run. Without him, the Buckeyes would be forced to rely on redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett and third-stringer Cardale Jones.
There goes the season, right? Not so fast. Buckeye Nation may have lost heart, but Miller did not.
“All the guys behind me prepped like they were the starter so, I wasn’t surprised by their success,” he said.
Does that success happen without Miller working behind the scenes to groom Barrett and Jones? Probably not. Barrett led OSU to 11 wins as a starter before breaking an ankle against Michigan, and Jones stepped in to win three more games, including two in the College Football Playoff that gave the Buckeyes their first national title since 2002. It was the stuff of Ohio State legend, and Miller watched it play out in real time.
“My job was being a leader (to Barrett and Jones) and to show them how to get things done and how to go about your business day by day,” Miller said. “It’s all hands on deck when you’re part of this program. The goal is to win, so whatever you can do.”
Miller became an unofficial assistant coach to Meyer and Herman, calming the younger quarterbacks when the outside noise grew loud.
“I knew what they could do. We were loaded. A full house,” he said.
But what about the what-ifs? It is interesting to wonder what would have happened had Miller remained healthy. Do the Buckeyes go 15-0? Do they lose to Virginia Tech, the only blemish on the 2014 schedule? If not, would OSU have had the do-or-die attitude that followed the loss to the Hokies ?
Again, Miller does not waste time wondering about such things. After retiring from the NFL in 2019 – the Houston Texans picked him in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft – the Columbus resident stays busy investing in technology, promoting products, including Sexton’s Burger Bar and Saucy Brew Works craft beer, and overseeing his Springfield Sports Academy and the Charg1ing Sports programs for youth. Above all those responsibilities, he enjoys being a dad.
Becoming a more active parent removed much of the sting of not being on the field in 2014, but it wasn’t the only reason Miller managed to find peace that season. He knew he would return in 2015, as a wide receiver. He also knew he had done enough at quarterback the previous three seasons to prove he was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in school history.
If Terrelle Pryor was OSU’s first true modern-day dual-threat quarterback, Miller took doubly dangerous to the next level, passing for 4,133 yards and 39 touchdowns and rushing for 2,339 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading the Buckeyes to 24 consecutive wins.
Among his favorite individual performances as a QB was scoring from the 1-yard line against Penn State in 2012, when out of the shotgun he twice appeared to be stopped behind the line of scrimmage, but somehow juked his way to a diving touchdown for a 21-10 lead in the third quarter.
“That was nasty,” he said, smiling.
His favorite play, period? No surprise, he picked his famous spin move against Virginia Tech, when he took a direct snap in the wildcat formation and raced 53 yards for the score, eluding two defenders along the way by pirouetting around them.
“TV-wise, that was it, but I did crazy stuff like that all the time in practice,” he said, adding that moving to wide receiver in 2015, when he caught 26 passes for 341 yards and three TDs and rushed for 260 yards and a touchdown, allowed him to showcase his skills after a year away from competition.
But don’t feel sorry for him for missing out in 2014. Because he doesn’t. Miller contributed mightily without the ball in his hands. Got a ring. Most importantly, he got to enjoy his best move ever: spending both quantity and quality time with his son. Bravo.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Braxton Miller won't play 'what-if' with bittersweet Ohio State football career
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