Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller tore his ACL two years ago and attempted to get back on the field last season, but his productivity was non-existent.
Miller played in 12 games in 2023, managing just three tackles and three quarterback hits. He played in just 32 percent of the Bills’ defensive snaps when he was on the field and unquestionably looked a step slow.
Now, the future Hall-of-Famer is saying that he probably should have never played last year to begin with.
“My biggest individual goal is just getting back to playing my style of football,” Miller said, via Pat Benson of Sports Illustrated. “It’s crazy how you get injured, and you come back, and you really shouldn’t have even been playing, and people judge you by a product on the field. I could have easily sat out all of last season, but I couldn’t do my teammates like that. I felt like being later in my career, I didn’t want to sacrifice any of my years. But at the same time, I shouldn’t have been out there.”
Miller was largely criticized for his performance in 2023, but apparently, he wasn’t even close to 100 percent. The superstar pass rusher wants everyone to know that wasn’t the real him.
“I feel like people are judging me on that [last season], so it’s making me a little bit angry, to be honest,” Miller said. “It’s making me tap into a Von that I haven’t been in a while. I just want to get back to playing my style of football. Get back to talking (expletive), making sacks, dancing, and making plays for my teammates. That’s been my whole mindset this offseason.”
Von Miller’s contract is a big issue
One of the biggest reasons why Miller was lambasted so much in 2023 was because of his contract.
The Bills signed Miller to a massive six-year, $120 million contract in March 2022, which the two sides renegotiated earlier this offseason.
Buffalo does have an escape route, as none of Miller’s money beyond next season is guaranteed. Still, the early returns on the Miller deal certainly have not been good.
Miller played in 11 games before getting injured in 2022, logging 21 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble. He seemed to be on his way to enjoying a nice debut campaign with the Bills, but then, things unraveled.
The Denver Broncos legend is 35 years old, so it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank.
Miller racked up eight Pro Bowl appearances and three First-Team All-Pro selections in 10-and-a-half seasons with the Broncos before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams midway through 2021.
The Texas A&M product has won a pair of Super Bowls, one with Denver and one with Los Angeles.
We’ll see if Von Miller can bounce back in Buffalo in 2024.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
Local Buffalo, NY
Most Popular
Comments / 0