Von Miller: Doubt Makes Him ‘A Little Angry’

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller is entering 2024 with “something to prove.”

In fact, one might say he is doing so with an “angry” chip on his shoulder.

© Mark Konezny, USA TODAY

While Miller failed to reach his expectations last season as he recovered from a 2022 season-ending ACL injury, the 35-year-old appears intent on re-gaining his swagger as well as his skill set on the field.

In the process, it is clear that he is aggressively motivated to re-establish himself as one of the NFL’s best at his position.

“I feel like people are judging me on that, so it's making me a little bit angry, to be honest,” Miller recently told Sports Illustrated. “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 (bleep) … making sacks, dancing, and making plays for my teammates. That's been my whole mindset this offseason.”

Despite his prime years having passed, Miller is still capable of being a potent pass-rusher in Buffalo’s defense. The 35-year-old compiled eight sacks, 21 tackles (10 for loss), two passes-defensed and one forced fumble in 11 games during his first season with the Bills in 2022. The totals would have undoubtedly been higher had he not suffered an ACL injury in Week 11 against the Detroit Lions, which sidelined him through the start of the 2023 season.

Miller struggled after returning and fell behind other Bills edge rushers on the depth chart during the season. In what was by far the least-productive season of his career, Miller logged three combined tackles and zero sacks in 12 regular-season games for Buffalo.

Still, Bills coach Sean MCDermott is counting on the fire inside Miller to re-establish the fearsome nature of his game.

“You’re talking about a guy that’s going to be in the Hall of Fame,” McDermott told Eric Wood during a recent appearance on the Centered on Buffalo podcast. “He’s got an incredible mindset and I think he has something to prove, and I think he would say that. We’re excited about seeing how that all flushes out over the course of the next few months.”