“We want our players to be smart. We want to play with discipline. We want to prepare with detail, and we want to execute with urgency. I believe once you do that it gives you the ability to play fast.”
That’s how the new head coach of the Toronto Argonauts responded when asked how he would describe Mike Miller football. The 55-year-old Pittsburgh native was officially introduced in his new role at BMO Field on Tuesday.
In a lengthy one-on-one conversation with Argonauts.ca prior to the public announcement, Miller said that discipline, urgency, and speed will lead to the other essential aspects of what he will expect from his team.
“All of that equals confidence that allows you to play physical, and the cornerstone of what our program will be is physicality. We’ve got to have guys that are going to take great pride in our ability to hit, and we’re going to look for guys who have a great deal of passion.”
Miller certainly doesn’t lack love for the sport. After starting his career as a press box intern with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, and Indianapolis Colts, Miller entered the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant coach at Robert Morris University, where he earned his master’s degree in education.
From there he went straight to the NFL, his first job as an assistant tight ends coach with the Steelers. He’d also coach with the Bills and Cardinals – with whom he reached the Super Bowl and would later become their offensive coordinator – and would cut his CFL teeth with the Alouettes before joining the Argos in 2022 as their quarterbacks coach.
Toronto became the twelfth stop on his coaching journey, but this situation is different; this time he’s the head coach and knows the responsibilities that come with the title, a job that became available when Ryan Dinwiddie left for Ottawa to become the head coach and general manager of the Redblacks.
When that happened, Miller let the Argos GM know that he was interested in filling the void left by Dinwiddie’s departure.
“I just decided to call Michael (Clemons) and express my sincere interest in the position and briefly listed my qualifications that I felt I could bring to the position,” said Miller. “At that point he said they would consider bringing me in for an interview, but they were in the process of identifying their candidates.”
One of those candidates was Mike O’Shea. When that didn’t work out, the phone rang and an interview between Miller and Clemons was set up.
Everyone knows the public side of “Pinball”, the constantly smiling, fun loving, affable hall-of-famer who never fails to leave people around him smiling. Sitting at the table with him during a casual lunch is one thing, but what was it like to go through an interview with him, a discussion that could lead to an enormous opportunity for Miller?
“It was very professional, he’s very knowledgeable,” said the coach. “He has a vision for what they want for our team and how he would like to see things operate. It was also investigative. They know me, but this was an opportunity for them to learn more about me, who I am and potentially what I could bring to the table and evaluate whether I the right guy to lead this football team.”
He also spoke with MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley after that conversation, and when the final decision was made, Clemons let Miller know he got the gig in perfect Pinball fashion.
“I was in Pittsburgh visiting friends and family,” Miller recalled. “I was over at one of my best friend’s place and Michael called. He asked how the Toronto Argonauts head coach was enjoying the holidays. It was pretty special and obviously something I’ll never forget.”
Now that he has the job, one of the first things Miller must do is construct his coaching staff. He currently has a great deal of talent in place but would like to investigate making some additions.
“I would at least like to talk to some guys that I have a great deal of respect for from around the league and have been a witness to some of their work. So, if this is an opportunity for me to be able to at least have those conversations, I’d like to do that. I have a clear vision of what I’d like out staff to look like and the type of people I’m trying to collect to be able to come together for that common task of winning a Grey Cup, and that will be our sole focus.”
Miller’s tenure in Toronto has been nothing short of fantastic. In 2022 he helped McLeod Bethel-Thompson to a career high and CFL leading 4,731 yards, and a Grey Cup.
The next year Chad Kelly won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award in a 16-2 season.
In 2024 Kelly passed for 2,451 yards in nine games but was injured in the Eastern Final. Miller helped prepare Nick Arbuckle for a Grey Cup game that the Argos won, and Arbuckle was named MVP.
Last year Miller helped Arbuckle set career highs, passing for 4,370 yards in 14 games, plus one series of a 15th, before he suffered a season-ending injury.
This year it’s expected that Kelly will be back in the lineup, giving the Argos an elite talent behind center. It’s a situation Miller is comfortable with as he’s worked well with the QB.
“My relationship (with Kelly) I think is very close. Chad and I have been through a great deal together, and in many ways, we learned this game together. Chad is passionate. He’s a team-oriented guy and just a pleasure to be around and I love coaching him. It’s a lot of give and take as far as sharing ideas. I assume, and I don’t want to get out in front of anything injury wise, but our anticipation would be that Chad will be ready to go.”
Miller has all five quarterbacks from last year under contract for 2026, so he’ll be familiar with the group with which he’ll be working.
It was appropriate that Miller was back home in Pittsburgh when he got the call as he’s a proud “yinzer” through and through. He grew up idolizing Lynn Swann and the Steeler teams of his youth, but he has one affliction that he can’t shake no matter how hard he tries: he’s a die-hard Pirates fan.
“It’s my cross to bear,” he said with a laugh. “I will never give up the ship. I just can’t do it. I’m too invested at this point.”
He assured Argonauts.ca that despite his love for all things Pittsburgh, he will not paint his office black and gold, for obvious reasons.