Michigan football captain announces decision to return to Ann Arbor in 2025

Posted by Admin January 8, 2025 Football

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At least one Michigan football captain will return in 2025.

Max Bredeson, a former walk-on turned captain and leader of Team 145, announced on social media Wednesday afternoon that he will not enter his name into the 2025 NFL Draft but rather return to Ann Arbor for a fifth and final season with the Wolverines.

“Team 146 lets do it,” Bredeson’s post read. “Go blue.”

Bredeson, who is an H-back playing both tight end and full back in U-M’s offense, had just three catches for 24 yards this season but his role on the team cannot simply be defined by statistics. He was the player who coined the phrase ‘buy in week’ when Michigan re-dedicated itself late in the season following a loss at Indiana that saw the team fall to .500.

The Wolverines responded by dominating Northwestern 50-6, going to Columbus and stunning the Buckeyes, 13-10, and then earning a bowl berth against Alabama when it pulled off another stunner, 19-13, to win the ReliaQuest Bowl.

“Yeah, we talked about not losses, lessons,” Bredeson said postgame. “We had a lot of lessons throughout the year, and just learning from them so we learn the things that we need to learn so ultimately end up on the plus side, and we did that in these last three games.

“Finishing on a strong note was huge for us and will build great momentum going into the off-season.”

There’s little doubt the return will make positive waves within the locker room. Bredeson was named a finalist for the 2024 Burlsworth Trophy, an award given to the most outstanding player who was originally a walk-on and has been called the ‘heart and soul’ of the team by his teammates.

“He’s the ultimate competitor, the ultimate leader, everything you want in a captain, and a guy you want on your team,” head coach Sherrone Moore said of Bredeson ahead of oU-M’s final game of the season. “As physical as any player in college football, I would say. He’s everything you want from a leader on your team. He impacts our team not just on the field, but off the field in huge ways, making sure the locker room is aligned in every single way.

“I just can’t speak highly enough about that young man. Just excited for him and making his determination, whatever he does.”

Bredeson’s two older brothers both played for Michigan, too. Jack pitched for the baseball team while Ben was a four-year starting offensive lineman (also a two-year captain) and now plays in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bredeson has 10 career catches for 121 yards.

Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.