THE APEX TIMES
Von Miller looks back at 2025 free agency, says he “picked the wrong team”
The former All-Pro pass rusher revisited his decision year, contrasting Washington’s quarterback trajectory with Seattle’s eventual Super Bowl run.
Von Miller framed his 2025 offseason decision as a classic football dilemma: take the opportunity in front of you, or chase the championship chance that looks obvious in hindsight. Speaking on Steve Smith and James Palmer’s “89” podcast, Miller said he received two contract offers for the 2025 season and that choosing the Washington Commanders ultimately meant he missed out on a Super Bowl run with the Seattle Seahawks.
In Miller’s telling, Washington was the option that made immediate football sense, largely because of the direction he believed quarterback Jayden Daniels was headed. Miller pointed to Daniels’ rookie season reaching the NFC championship as evidence, then added that Washington’s quarterback and overall team results the following year were affected by injuries “all over the place,” including impacts beyond the quarterback position.
Miller’s comparison gets sharper when he brings up the other offer. The Seahawks, he said, “went on to win Super Bowl 60,” and he later told the hosts that he “obviously” picked the wrong team in that sense. He also described the temptation of a hypothetical where he could have collected multiple titles across different teams, calling it a situation that is “just how it’s supposed to be.”
The comments landed as the Commanders continue building for the next phase of their roster, with defensive additions remaining a theme around the NFC East. Monday’s coverage in the Washington beat community highlighted a notable cornerback signing report involving Rasul Douglas, suggesting the front office is still looking to strengthen the back end as Washington refines its defensive identity.
For Miller, the lesson is less about regret and more about what teams cannot fully predict, even when they make rational choices at the time. His explanation directly underlines a point teams often learn the hard way: a quarterback’s development can matter, but team health, the distribution of injuries, and the overall quality of the surrounding roster can change the season’s outcome before the postseason arrives.
Still, there is a football argument hiding under Miller’s personal tone. Washington’s decision to bet on Daniels’ trajectory is consistent with how the organization has tried to align its long-term outlook, while Seattle’s postseason success underscores how quickly a franchise can turn a roster advantage into playoff momentum. Miller, speaking about both teams, essentially described two different season paths that both seemed plausible at the start.
What to watch next is how Washington’s offseason moves translate into the regular season, particularly on defense, where a cornerback addition would fit an overarching need for coverage stability. For the Seahawks, Miller’s retrospective also reinforces the idea that their 2025 construction could withstand the kind of uncertainty that derailed other contenders. The next meaningful test for both teams will come when those roster decisions meet game-day execution, not offseason projections.
Why It Matters
- Miller’s remarks highlight how franchise-building decisions can look correct early but still end up missing a championship window due to factors outside any single player’s control.
- For Washington, the comments reinforce the organization’s stated logic in backing its quarterback plan, even when the supporting circumstances shift because of injuries.
- For the Seahawks, the Super Bowl outcome anchors the idea that roster timing and postseason readiness can outweigh pre-season expectations.
- The backdrop of continued defensive roster attention in Washington suggests that the Commanders may be aiming to reduce the types of season volatility Miller described.
Sources
Key Facts
- Von Miller said on the “89” podcast that he received two contract offers for the 2025 season, one from the Washington Commanders and one from the Seattle Seahawks.
- Miller said Washington was the choice he made because he believed Jayden Daniels was positioned for another strong season after a rookie year that reached the NFC championship.
- Miller attributed Washington’s next-step difficulty in part to injuries affecting the team broadly during the following year, not only at quarterback.
- Miller said the Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl 60, and he described his selection as “obviously” the wrong one in hindsight.
- A separate Washington beat report accompanying the podcast discussion also pointed to a cornerback signing involving Rasul Douglas, while noting official confirmation had not yet been presented in that moment.