Former Alabama running back Jam Miller finds himself at an unexpected crossroads after the New England Patriots waived him following the NFL’s final roster cuts.
The decision, coming just as college football programs settle their own lineups, has opened a door that would have seemed implausible only a short time ago: a possible return to Tuscaloosa.
As Rob Gregson of A to Z Sports noted, Miller’s release does not automatically end his professional hopes. He could still be claimed off waivers or sign with another NFL club.
Yet if he clears waivers and no team steps forward, recent court rulings on eligibility have created a pathway for players who signed NFL contracts and even appeared in preseason games to resume their college careers, which means Miller could potentially reunite with Alabama.
Miller, who started for the Crimson Tide last season, logged 130 carries for 504 yards and three touchdowns in 2025. Those numbers, produced in a crowded backfield, now look like a ready-made addition for a team that suddenly needs depth.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer had already been asked about this exact possibility in the weeks leading up to roster deadline. He acknowledged that such a return was theoretically possible while stressing he could not control the outcome or afford to dwell on it.
The conversation has now moved from hypothetical to immediate. The Tide’s running-back room lost projected starter AK Dear to injury during fall camp, leaving Daniel Hill, E.J. Crowell, Kevin Riley and others to carry the load.
Miller’s familiarity with the scheme, his proven production, and the program’s need at the position make the idea of a reunion more than idle speculation.
Whether Alabama would actually pursue the move remains an open question. Bringing back a player who already spent time on an NFL roster would invite the same scrutiny now directed at programs such as LSU, which has explored similar additions.
DeBoer and his staff must weigh the competitive benefit against the optics and the message it sends about roster construction in this new era. For Miller the calculation is more personal. A return would offer another year of high-level snaps, potential NIL earnings, and another chance to chase a championship before circling back to the NFL with additional tape.
The timing is difficult to ignore. Alabama opens the season against East Carolina this weekend. A veteran presence in the backfield could stabilize a unit still adjusting to injuries.
At the same time, the entire scenario underscores how rapidly the boundaries between college and professional football have blurred. A player who signed an NFL contract, wore a Patriots jersey, and competed in three preseason games could, in theory, be lining up again at Bryant-Denny Stadium in a matter of days.
What Alabama decides will reveal as much about the program’s priorities as it does about the evolving rules that made the conversation possible in the first place.
For now, Miller’s next chapter is unwritten, and Tuscaloosa is watching closely.
