“That was the last game he seen me play. Every day I wake up and tell myself, ‘just for dad.’ That’s my motivation.” This Colorado wide receiver is not just playing football. He’s playing for something far bigger than stats, wins, and NFL dreams. Omarion Miller is playing for a promise—for his father. Every catch, every route, every touchdown—it’s his way of honoring him.

In his freshman year, he tallied seven receptions for 196 yards- the most ever by a freshman and the eighth most in the Buffaloes’ history. But his father couldn’t witness Omarion’s long strides on the turf. Chris Miller, Omarion’s dad, passed away in a car accident in 2018 when he was just a teenager, and his absence has since left a cold void in his heart. He misses him dearly, and today, on his dad’s birthday, the 6’1.5, 192-pound WR fought back tears as he penned an emotional note.

“Happy heavenly birthday. Not a day go by I promise.” wrote Miller, accompanied by a photo collage, which painted beautiful memories etched in his heart. Chris was a constant warm presence in his life. Long before Miller was catching deep throws or gaining yards, he was dribbling on the basketball court. And his dad? Always courtside, always proud. The last game he saw him play, Miller dropped 30 points, along with a half-court shot. His father never saw him catching throws on the field. “He didn’t even get to see me play any type of football.”

And that still hurts. Growing up alone, he regrets that he couldn’t make his father proud. That he couldn’t show his dad how much he missed his cheers on the sidelines when he caught a deep throw. “For me bro, growing up my Pops passed away when I was like 13-14. So like he really ain’t get to experience me, he get experience me blowing up type”. But his teammates were there for him, cheering him up, that his father watches him do the drills and is proud of him. “The world see you. They see you.” And his grind is grabbing eyeballs on the turf. Fellow Colorado WR Miller Craze tweeted, “is gonna be the best WR in CFB,” praising Miller’s athleticism.

The grit towards greatness is etched in Omarion’s mind, with every rep fuelled by his dad’s memories. But, a year later, after he lost his father, he received another shocker.

Omarion Miller bounces back

After his father’s demise, Miller sought constant support and warmth from his mom and grandfather, who became his support system. But the Miller family hadn’t yet recovered from their grief when another emotional shock jolted Omarion and Latonia. His grandfather passed away. It’s never easy to lose a parent, but losing two loved ones within a year is a lot to take. But, instead of grief taking him over, it lit a spark in him. “They definitely mean a lot to me. So, I just gotta keep pushing for him,” Omarion said.

But more was to come. Battling heavy emotional losses, he sustained an injury. His 2024 season ended before he could prove his mettle on the field again. But that didn’t derail his grit to bring it hard. He bounced back stronger than ever, with his support system on his side. “Man, I’m not even gonna lie, it took everything out of me, he told Reach The People. “If it wasn’t for my mom…just coming here and being with me, I don’t know where I’d be.” And the beautiful bond showed, didn’t it? Latonia flew to Colorado and helped him through tough times. “It just put a smile on my face.. I wasn’t really down on myself when I got injured. I always was in good spirits,” he added.

Now, he is back on the turf, fully recovered and stronger, with adrenaline already pumping. After Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., and LaJohntay Wester went to the Pro League, Omarion Miller has got the spotlight on him, and the grind is already showing. “I’m coming for everything I swear it’s so up!!!#longlivepops,” he promised the fam.