Peyton Miller has had a difficult start to the 2026 season but has turned things around as New England Revolution head coach Marko Mitrovic is utilizing the youngster in a new but familiar style.
2026 was yet another season where Miller started the season hurt. A calf injury kept the 18-year-old sideline until he made a bench appearance in New England's home opener against FC Cincinnati.
In that match, Miller played in a more advanced role rather than as an outside back. It is a role that he has been utilized in at the youth national team level but not particularly in Major League Soccer. Against CF Montreal, Miller once again entered the game off the bench and played a similar role – replacing Griffin Yow – and the move paid off.
Just like when Miller made his 2026 debut, the 18-year-old found the back of the net against CF Montreal. In stoppage time, Miller won the ball, burst up the field, had the confidence to take the ball all the way to goal and chipped Montreal's goalkeeper.
“It's a similar situation to when [Miller] came off the bench in the last home game against Cincinnati," Mitrovic told media after the game. "Peyton missed almost the whole preseason, and we're still building the minutes for him and then today he got a few more minutes. The way that space was given to us was because we were defending, and then we had a lot of space to run in behind. We expected in our game preparation that those moments would happen for Peyton, and they happened in the last action of the game, but it could happen even before that. Peyton, going forward, is always dangerous. It doesn't matter if he's playing lower as a fullback, playing wingback, or wide-forward, and that's his strength."
The goal clearly meant a lot to Miller. After the initial burst of adrenaline, Miller fell to the ground in what appeared to be a sense of relief that he was able to help his team secure three points.
“It feels great, especially when [Marko Mitrović] has trusted me to go forward," Miller told media after the game. "But just being able to contribute to the attack and get goals for the team [is my focus].”
Miller's quickness was a major factor against Montreal. Coming off the bench, he got to run against tired legs. The 18-year-old was the third-fastest player in all of MLS in 2025.
"[To] have Peyton on there with his pace is important, because he's so fast, and he has moments like the goal he scores, so very happy for him," Revolution captain Carles Gil said.
Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how Mitrovic deploys Miller. The youngster's attacking ability was on display but his defensive ability is also valuable. With his willingness to put his body on the line to make a play defending his own third, Miller is a clear upgrade over Will Sands.
But the 18-year-old could also help out in attack, considering Yow's struggles to acclimate since returning to MLS. Miller's speed allows him to blow by defenders, and he has shown that he has the scoring ability to boot. After the departure of Tomas Chancalay, there is also a lack of depth on the left attacking side.
Whether it is on the backline or as an attacker, Revolution fans can expect Miller to get involved in the attack and hopefully continue to rack up goals.
"I think it's generally about the same for me," Miller said about playing as a winger or an outside back. "I'm getting forward and getting back, helping on defense. When I came in, you saw I was pinned back a lot by their right back, so it's kind of the same.”
