Bills LB Von Miller: Why Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is ‘Hall of Famer’
Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller has a long list of compliments for the Kansas City Chiefs -- especially for quarterback Patrick Mahomes -- heading into Sunday’s matchup at Arrowhead.
Miller, a former mainstay of the AFC West during his 10-year career with the Denver Broncos, actually faced Mahomes during the signal-caller's first-career start in Week 17 of 2017. The Chiefs won 27-24 as Mahomes led a game-winning drive.
And since then, Miller says he's never been able to avoid the greatness of the 27-year-old quarterback.
"No matter what I do, I can just never get away from Patrick Mahomes," Miller said. "He's always running away and throwing left-handed passes on and off the football field."
A season-long injury in 2020 and changing teams has prevented Miller from getting the chance to sack Mahomes again -- until now. Sunday's game will mark the fifth time the Super Bowl MVP linebacker has faced the Super Bowl MVP quarterback. But regardless of the game's results, Miller made it clear that Mahomes has essentially solidified himself as a Hall of Famer in just six seasons.
"There's never been a quarterback that has played the game like Patrick Mahomes," Miller said. "Sometimes people put the Hall on everybody, right? They say 'Oh, this guy gonna be a future Hall of Famer, this guy is first-ballot,' (but) Patrick Mahomes is the definition of a Hall of Famer."
Aside from four Pro Bowl selections, an Offensive Player of the Year Award, and the 2018 league MVP, Miller thinks it's the evolutionary way Mahomes plays the game that solidifies his trip to Canton. From side-armed passes, to left-handed flips, to hitting receivers for 60-yard bombs in stride, the list is lengthy and continues to grow for Mahomes.
"He just evolves with the game each and every year," Miller said. "He changed the game. Nobody has ever played the game like he has. He's left a mark on our sport, left a mark on our league."
Mahomes echoed Hall-of-Fame respects toward Miller, throwing around Miller's aforementioned cliche, though this time it holds true.
"Von's a special player," Mahomes said. "He's a Hall of Famer, first-ballot Hall of Famer ... he's a Texas guy, man. Those Texas guys know how to play football."
It's all love from both sides headed into Sunday's rematch of an all-time finish in the AFC playoffs last season. Miller was busy helping the Los Angeles Rams make their run to the Super Bowl, but as he gets set to face Mahomes again, he'll be looking to add to the 1.5 sacks he's already got on him.
Buffalo and Kansas City kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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