The Broncos’ star pass rusher Von Miller said at the time, “A lot of teams would fight to get a quarterback like that.”
It was eight years ago, Week 16 of the 2017 season, when the Broncos could still taste Super Bowl 50 glory, but had begun the search for Peyton Manning’s successor. Miller felt every pain as Denver toiled through five losing seasons and the turnstiles of a starting quarterback, before fortunately (if tearfully at first) getting back to winning ways. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, winning his second Super Bowl that season, then signed a nine-figure deal with the Buffalo Bills, with whom he won three division titles.
Miller figured his next stop would be a continuation of the others – joining another star quarterback for another year of winning.
“You can’t go anywhere without Josh Allen, man,” Miller said after arriving in Washington last summer. “And any time you get older, the losses add up. It seems like they do a lot more losses than when you were young. And it’s about the team winning.”
How quickly things can change in the NFL.
When the Broncos return to Washington on Sunday night, they will try to extend an eight-game winning streak with one of the league’s premier defenses. Meanwhile, Miller will be trying to help save things for the 3-8 Commanders, who have lost six in a row and are now on the verge of elimination.
There’s no doubt it will be strange facing his former team.
“This is my third time playing with them, so it’s not as weird, but it’s still weird,” he said earlier this week. “I hate playing with my former teams. … You go into it so much and you form these bonds and you never really think you’re going to leave. It’s this place you fall in love with and then you’re not there anymore. It’s definitely hard, it’s definitely weird.”
Adding to the weirdness: The Broncos are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their Super Bowl 50 win this season. That year’s Super Bowl MVP Miller is featured on the cover of their media guide.
Miller assured there is no bitterness toward Denver following the 2021 trade. Rather, he is a fan of the team and often reflects on his 11 years spent there, feeling that a part of him is still with Denver.
“I have flashbacks all the time – good times, bad times and hard times,” he said. “I rely on him, the experience that I had all the time. In Buffalo, with Josh Allen, I relied on some things that we did (in Denver) with Payton. When I went to L.A. I relied on some things on Denver’s defense and going through the tough times here, I’ve relied on some things that helped us get through the tough times in Denver. That’s my core. That’s where all my knowledge comes from. Ninety-nine percent of the time when I’m saying something, it’s what DeMarcus (Ware) told me, Peyton told me or (Broncos head athletic trainer) Vince Garcia told me.
Earlier in the offseason, Miller said he had talked to Broncos general manager George Payton about the opportunity to return to Denver. However, it quickly became clear to both parties that this would not work. Denver is loaded with young, talented pass rushers. At this stage of his career, Miller plays a more limited role and does not contribute on special teams.
But what didn’t fit the Broncos seemed like a perfect fit for the Commander, who lacked a marquee pass rusher coming into the season and now need pass-rushing help more than ever. Injuries have ravaged Washington’s roster, particularly on the defensive line, where it lost three defensive ends for the season – Dietrich Wise Jr. (quad), Dorance Armstrong (ACL) and Javonte Jean-Baptiste (pectoral).
Armstrong’s defeat was particularly difficult; According to Next Gen Stats, the Commanders have blitzed at a 6.1 percent higher rate while Armstrong has been out, but have generated a 12.2 percent lower pressure rate and allowed 1.5 more yards per pass attempt. Despite missing the last four games, Armstrong still leads the team with 5.5 sacks and is tied with Jacob Martin for most pressures with 25 sacks.
However, Miller has fulfilled the role Washington has laid out for him on the field: a limited pass rusher who can get to home on key downs. Nearly 62 percent of his QB pressures and three of his five sacks have been on third downs.
Miller, now 36, is no longer the player he was when he earned Super Bowl 50 MVP honors by flying off the line of scrimmage and being nearly parallel to the ground on his rushes. His time off this season isn’t even close to what he had last season in Buffalo. However, at year 15, Miller can still do more than most. According to Next Gen, this season, he has converted 23.8 percent of his pressures into sacks, his highest rate in seven years.
“He’s like a designated pass rusher and he’s still got all that in his body,” Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi told Denver media on Thursday. “He’s someone we have to be aware of and make sure he’s not ruining the game, because he’s still got that ability.”
Miller’s 110.5 sacks as a Bronco set a franchise record, but he has his sights set higher. He would go on to finish well in the NFL’s top 10 in career rushing yards, a statistic that became official in 1982.
With 134.5 sacks, Miller needs 3.5 more to pass Richard Dent and John Randle for 10th on the all-time list, just below former teammate and mentor DeMarcus Ware (138.5).
“He’ll probably say, ‘What took you so long?'” Miller joked about Ware, who finished in the top 10 all 12 years in the NFL. “I can’t just be a No. 10. I have to be like a No. 6 to stay in there because you get guys that get five, six sacks a game.”
Miller has already made it clear that he wants to play in the NFL for at least his 16th time. He hasn’t made any timetable for his career because he doesn’t work that way. Not at this stage of my career. Not after enduring lean times in Denver and recent tough weeks in Washington.
“At this level, in 15 years, there’s always something to play for,” Miller said. “I want to get as many sacks as possible. I’m playing now… I want to play next year, but I’m just here in the present. … For me personally, ‘Sunday Night Football’ vs. the Denver Broncos, it will be a special night for me.”
, Nick Kosmider contributed to this report.
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