Bills HC Sean McDermott isn't counting Von Miller out: He 'has something to prove'

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott is excited to watch defensive end Von Miller in the upcoming campaign.

Sep 19, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller (40) and Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (58) react to making a play during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Adversity is something that Buffalo Bills defensive end Von Miller has faced countless times throughout his professional career—one doesn’t become the NFL’s active-all-time sack leader without facing some hardships along the way.

But he’s arguably never faced adversity like this.

The questions that currently swirl around Miller don’t necessarily relate to his health or potential role, but to his ability. Fans and pundits alike wonder whether the 35-year-old has anything left in the tank, if he’s a player that can contribute to a team today or if he’s simply riding the coattails of a Hall of Fame-caliber career.

A four-star high school recruit and former second-overall pick, having his talent questioned is unfamiliar territory for Miller, but it’s not unwarranted. He’s coming off a 2023 season in which the Buffalo faithful did not consistently see his patented ghost move, but a ghost; he was largely unimpactful throughout the vast majority of the campaign, registering a career-low 17 total quarterback pressures, per PFF, alongside three total tackles and zero sacks.

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It was a disappointing, but not unexpected season for Miller, who was still recovering from a 2022 ACL tear throughout the campaign. He returned to the field less than 11 months after suffering the initial injury; fans weren’t necessarily expecting him to look like the MIller of old, but they also didn’t expect him to be a noticeable weak point of the defensive line.

Now more than one calendar year removed from the ailment, the veteran is eager to prove doubters wrong, to show nay-sayers that he’s still Von Miller. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott is excited to see what the once-dominant pass-rusher brings to the team in the upcoming campaign; during a recent appearance on the Centered on Buffalo podcast, the sideline boss spoke about Miller, suggesting that he thinks there’s still something left in the tank.

Will Von Miller regain his form this season? Sean McDermott and @EWood70 discuss...#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/HI2WnyOmxc

— Centered on Buffalo (@thebuffalopod) June 21, 2024

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“He got hurt on Thanksgiving [in 2022], unfortunately,” McDermott said. “Last year was last year. It was kind of [one of] those, and it’s what you expect, it’s first year off of an ACL, it’s an uphill climb. Now we’re into the second year off of the injury, excited to see what he can do, how he’s moving, and how he’s going to impact our team. I think that, quite honestly, you never count a player or person like Von Miller out. 

“I know some people would say age and, again, the injury, and that’s real, but you’re talking about a guy also, and this is where the hope comes from, a guy that’s going to be in the Hall of Fame. He’s got an incredible mindset and he, I think, has something to prove, and I think he would say that. We’re excited about seeing how that all fleshes out over the course of the next few months.”

Miller, who initially joined Buffalo on a six-year, $120 million contract in the 2022 offseason, took a rather significant pay cut to remain with the club in the spring. Though eager to see the type of impact he can provide more than a year removed from his ACL tear, Buffalo isn’t necessarily expecting elite pass-rusher production from Miller, as the 35-year-old currently projects as a high-upside rotational defensive end. That said, the team is excited about his potential, with defensive coordinator Bobby Babich telling reporters earlier this month that there “were flashes of some Von Miller [of old]” down the stretch of the 2023 season.

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