He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and was selected by the Pirates in the fifth round of the 1938 NFL draft.
[2][4] Midler enrolled at the University of Minnesota and began playing for their Golden Gopher football team in 1934 to fulfill a promise he made to one of their trainers.
[2] That season, he played for the freshman team and was considered one of its "outstanding" players; a Star Tribune reporter described him as "exceptionally powerful, fast and alert," as well as the "best punter at Minnesota since Clarence Munn".
[5] Midler lettered as a sophomore in 1935 and became a starter for the varsity team; he was switched at different times between guard and tackle throughout the season.
[9][10] As a senior in 1937, he helped the Golden Gophers compile a record of 7–1 and win the conference championship while being named first-team All-Big Ten.
[16] Midler was selected in the fifth round (34th overall) of the 1938 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates but spent that year coaching the line for the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops.