Oct 9, 2025 By Eleanor Bailey 7 min read

McMurray native Donovan McMillon traveled to London two years ago.

“To be a tourist,” he explained.

Today, he’s been taking trips abroad as well as throughout NFL cities as a businessman because he plays for the Cleveland Browns.

“It’s 100 percent a real-life job,” said the rookie defensive back.

On May 9, 2025, McMillon was signed as an undrafted free agent. After training camp, he made the 53-player active roster for the regular season and has been one of the 48 competing on a daily basis.

Listed third on the depth chart at the safety position behind Grant Delpit and Rayshawn Jenkins, McMillon is seeing plenty of action on special teams.

“Making a lot of plays. Four tackles right now,” he said proudly.

McMillon will be looking for more as he hopes to make a splash during his homecoming. The Peters Township High School graduate will be playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 at Acrisure Stadium.

“It’s going to be an unreal feeling,” he said.

McMillon expects his parents, Shelley and Darrin as well as brothers, Darius, Dane and Davin, to be among the many relatives and friends in the stands cheering him on to victory.

“I will be hearing them for sure. I think we have all four corners covered, the end zones and behind the 50-yard line,” he said. While he was unsure of the “exact” number of tickets he had for the game, he said that he was able to obtain 30 to 40 post-game passes.

“There’s no pressure for me to perform. It’s going to be a really great opportunity for me to shine. I know that Acrisure grass better than any one.”

McMillon played two seasons for the University of Pittsburgh. He led the Panthers in tackles with 115 in 2024 and became the first Pitt player to record consecutive 100-plus tackle seasons since 2008. Named Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2023 after transferring from Florida and playing all 12 games and recording 105 tackles, one forced fumble and one pass break up. He had 30 tackles and one TFL in 25 games for the Gators.

“Wow,” he said. “It’s going to be a special feeling. I was in college playing here and now I’m in the NFL.”

The wonder of being a professional football player has long worn off for McMillon since he shared an ice bath in the training room with Joe Flacco upon his arrival in Cleveland.

“A generational quarterback,” McMillon said. “In my mind I’m saying ‘oh my gosh, that’s Flacco’ but I kept my cool. He introduced himself saying, ‘my name is Joe’ and I said ‘I’m Donovan’ Then he asked, ‘how old are you son?’ I mean his kids are like 13 and I was like five when he was drafted in the NFL.

“I haven’t had much awe since going through the process. I thought I would have more but I’m having fun playing a kids game and getting paid. When you get to the NFL, you realize everybody is all very good here. I am in the same space as all of them. You are playing against guys week in and week out. It’s not too crazy.”

The schedule, however, is and that has taken McMillon time to make the adjustment to professional life.

“I feel like people don’t understand that it’s a job. Even I didn’t,” he said.

McMillon says he is at Cleveland’s training facility every day between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. He doesn’t leave until about 6 p.m. After the 30-minute drive home, he’ll study film and the playbook before he retires for bed by 10 p.m.

Mondays are the only day he gets to work by midday. Tuesday is the only off day but players go in for “recovery” and “prep work” for the next game.

“It’s a never ending cycle. Your life all week all season is all football. So that’s been an adjustment for me. There’s not much free time.”

McMillon doesn’t really want any. He is on a mission.

“Fighting for a job every day,” he said “New players get signed and cut on Tuesday.”

This particular Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Browns traded Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals leaving Dillon Gabriel as the starter and Shedeur Sanders as the backup.

“Dillon is a great kid. Works his tail off day in and day out. Brings the energy to the offense,” McMillon said. “Shedeur is one of my good friends on the team. An amazing quarterback fighting through being a household name and waiting for his opportunity like me.”

McMillon is waiting for the Browns to turn things around. They are off to a 1-4 start. The lone victory came against the Packers, 13-10, before last week’s loss to Minnesota, 21-17, in London.

“The first time I went to London was amazing. This time was great, too, but more stressful and very unfortunate that they scored the game-winning field goal with 25 seconds to play.

“When we knocked off the Packers, it was the greatest feeling. Like we won a playoff game but the (Minnesota) loss was demoralizing. In the NFL, winning and losing is so close. It comes down to three or four plays. It’s a gut-wrenching feeling because you work so hard. It’s like a class project to see if you pass or fail. You work with your teammates to develop a game plan all week. You go through the studying and work so hard to play an opponent and see who can do their job the best.”

Despite Cleveland’s start, McMillon believes the Browns are “the best 1-4 team” in the league. He said that he would rather lose early in the season. “We are a few plays away from making some noise. We need to treat every game like it’s the Super Bowl. I see myself doing my job and what I can do to help the team. If I am doing my job, go out and make some plays, the rest will shake out from there.”

For now, McMillon is satisfied with his role on special teams, noting that in the NFL there is “not much rotating” when seasoned veterans hold down the starting spots.

“There is always competition in the room and I am working hard to be ready when my name is called, then run with that opportunity,” he said.

McMillon received his first opportunity to play organized football when he played in the Peters Township School District.

An All-State performer, he led the Indians to a 20-3 record and consecutive WPIAL Class 5A championship appearances his junior and senior seasons. The Indians also claimed back-to-back conference banners in 2020 and 2021, a feat not achieved since 1975.

McMillon also excelled in wrestling. He was a WPIAL and PIAA state Class 3A runner-up at 182 pounds.

“Peters Township was where I got my first big break. I played on championship level teams. That was huge. I figured I could play football and dominate and play a game I love.”

McMillon acknowledges his passion for the game came from his parents. His father coached him from an early age, dispensing nuggets he learned from his playing days at West Virginia Wesleyan and in Arena Football League. His mother was a multi-sport athlete at Peters Township High School. McMillon will give a special nod to her when he wears her varsity letter jacket during pre-game warm-ups before the game against the Steelers.

“My dad gave all the football to me, but I got all my talent from mom. It’s been a blessing and I have an amazing opportunity because of both of them.”