Von Miller knows what it takes to dominate a field.

For over ten years, he has been one of the most daunting pass rushers in the NFL, a Super Bowl MVP, and a player who can alter games and define entire generations. Yet, despite the numerous sacks and accolades, Miller sought out a vastly different challenge: raising chickens.

Yes, chickens.

Miller co-founded Greener Pastures Chicken, a Texas-based poultry enterprise that produces top-quality, ethically raised chicken. It’s not merely a side gig; it’s a full-fledged business with a mission grounded in sustainability, animal welfare, and food transparency. Interestingly, it all started from a college class he believed would be an easy grade.

During his time at Texas A&M, Miller took Meat Production 101 to improve his GPA. The classwork was easy enough, but he struggled to stay awake — until his professor singled him out for attention. “He’d wake me up and get me to recite what I learned,” Miller recalls in a conversation with Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef. “It stayed with me.”

Many years later, after his NFL success, Miller revisited the concept of starting a farm. Instead of opting for conventional industrial methods, he envisioned something superior, a venture he would be proud to endorse. That vision evolved into Greener Pastures Chicken.

Initially, people didn’t take him seriously. Why would a renowned football player be interested in chicken farming? However, Miller wasn’t just keen on lending his name. He aimed to create something authentic. Once it became operational, it began attracting attention.

Patrick Mahomes and Drew Brees weren’t just influential names; they shared Miller’s belief in what he was building: a farm committed to sustainability, animal welfare, and transparency. When Miller shared his idea with Mahomes, it wasn’t just a concept or aspiration. “I’ve been doing this for five years,” he assured him.

Mahomes, a fellow Texan, already knew the towns, retailers and values behind the operation. That local familiarity, combined with a clear vision, made it an easy yes. “I don’t talk about what I want to do,” Miller says. “I talk about what I’ve done.”

A “country club for chickens”

Greener Pastures is not your average chicken farm.

Miller calls it a “country club for chickens,” and while that might sound like a punchline, he means it. The birds roam freely on natural grass. They have access to bugs, fresh air and sunshine. The operation is certified organic, non-GMO and humanely raised — the designation Miller is most proud of.

“We want people to see everything,” Miller says. “There’s nothing to hide.” In an industry where transparency is rare, he’s doing the opposite by posting photos, inviting visitors and celebrating a system that gives animals a life worth living, even if it ends in the same place.

The farm isn’t just a business. It’s part of his identity. Miller’s parents and kids are involved. The backyard flock at home now includes nearly 60 birds, some of them practically retirees. “We only eat the eggs,” he jokes. “They’re part of the family.”

At scale, Greener Pastures Chicken is proof that purpose and profit can coexist. Miller has taken lessons from championship locker rooms: team-building, grit and competitive fire, and applied them to agriculture. “You can’t ever have another Peyton Manning,” he says. “But you can take little things from great teams and build your own.”

Now he’s imagining what the next five years will bring. Expansion, yes, but never at the cost of core values. Sustainability and humane practices aren’t marketing tools. They’re the foundation. “People care about how their food is produced,” Miller said. “And we start with that in mind.”

Greener Pastures might not have the brand recognition of Tyson or Sanderson Farms, but Miller isn’t chasing anyone else’s model. He’s building something that reflects who he is: disciplined, driven and unafraid to do things differently.

About Restaurant Influencers

Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point-of-sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.

Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.