There has been much speculation that Jalen Milroe might opt out of Alabama’s upcoming bowl game, either to prepare for the 2025 NFL Draft or due to pressure from the coaching staff to focus on next season’s quarterback competition. However, Milroe has earned the right to end his Alabama career the way he wants, and he should be given that opportunity.
Even before Alabama’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff, many believed Milroe might skip the bowl game. This assumption was based on the idea that he could start preparing for the draft or that the coaching staff might want to start focusing on the QB battle between Ty Simpson and Austin Mack. While both of them would benefit from extra practice reps, Milroe’s leadership and team-first mentality made it unlikely that he would opt out on his own, and it never seemed right for the coaching staff to ask him to do so.
Milroe has more than earned the chance to go out on his terms. While he has not yet declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, all signs point to him doing so. When discussing next season’s quarterback room, Milroe indicated he’s made up his mind: “Next year, it’s going to be a really talented group that’s going to be in [a] position to do a lot of special things next year,” he said, clearly excited for the future.
Though Milroe’s Alabama career may not end with a national championship, he has already accomplished a lot. Despite some struggles as the starting quarterback, he helped lead Alabama to a 22-5 record over the past two seasons, including an SEC Championship and a playoff berth. A bowl victory would be a fitting conclusion to his career.
The ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa offers Milroe a unique opportunity. It’s the same city where he was benched last season after a tough loss to Texas, and where he watched the Crimson Tide struggle to beat USF before reclaiming the starting role and leading Alabama to an SEC title. Now, he has the chance to face Michigan, the team that ended Alabama’s season the previous year at the Rose Bowl. While a national title would have been the ideal ending, defeating Michigan in Tampa could be a satisfying way to cap off his college career.
