Getty Bills edge rusher Von Miller at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024.
Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller hurried back from a torn ACL last season, returning to the field close to 10 months after he first suffered the injury on Thanksgiving Day in 2022.
Miller, who had a career-worst season in 2023, now admits that he could have taken his time.
“I shouldn’t have been out there,” Miller said in an interview with Pat Benson of SI.com.
Miller had a career-worst season in 2023 as he struggled to regain his previous form, but said he hopes to return stronger in the coming year.
Von Miller Wanted to Come Back for His Teammates
When asked about his biggest goal for the upcoming season, Miller said he wanted to get back to his previous style of play.
After landing a $120 million contract, Miller delivered through the first half of the 2022 season. He made 8.0 sacks and 21 total tackles through 10 games, adding two pass defenses and a forced fumble. But Miller went down with a torn ACL in a Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions, missing the rest of the season and the start of the 2023 season.
Miller told Benson that he wanted to make the most of the waning years of his career, but in retrospect should have taken more time away to recover.
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“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,” Miller said. “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 made just three total tackles in 12 games last year with no sacks. He struggled to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks, though did see an uptick in play down the final stretch of the season and the playoffs.
Seeking Motivation for 2024
Miller said he has been taking in the criticism from the past year and wants to turn it into motivation for the coming season.
“I feel like people are judging me on that, so it’s making me a little bit angry, to be honest,” he 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], [expletive] making sacks, dancing, and making plays for my teammates. That’s been my whole mindset this offseason.”
Miller said he has some team goals, the biggest one is “bringing the first Super Bowl to Buffalo.” The All-Pro edge rusher praised the fans and his teammates, especially quarterback Josh Allen.
“Everyone feels like they deserve it, and they work hard, but Buffalo Bills fans and Western New York they deserve it, man. They do so much for our community and our football team,” Miller said. “Josh Allen is an amazing player and person – he is one of the most amazing people that I have ever been around in my life. These guys deserve it, and I’m going to do everything in my power to give it to them.”