A little over two years ago, Von Miller was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Von Miller had 10 amazing seasons with the Broncos before he was sent to the City of Angels. On Monday night against the Buffalo Bills, the Broncos will face their old superstar for the first time since sending him away. Will Von be ready to get his first sack of the season against his old team? Or can the Broncos shut the aging veteran down? Either way, the reunion gives Denver a chance to look back at what the Broncos and Miller have done together and how it will affect Monday night.
Broncos To Play Against Von Miller: Their Super Bowl MVP
What Von Miller Means To The Broncos
In 2011, the Broncos selected Von Miller as the second overall pick. That year, he was named the defensive rookie of the year. For the next 9 years, Miller was the most dominant edge rusher in the NFL. As a Bronco, Miller had 110.5 sacks, which led the league since he came into the NFL. Because of his success, Miller has been a pro bowler eight times and a first-team all-pro three times. When Miller’s career ends, he will be looked at as one the greatest players in NFL history. To the city of Denver, he will mean even more than that.
When Von Miller was drafted, the Broncos had just come off of their worst season in franchise history. A team that was looking for a foundation and a leader found one. For the next five years, the Broncos won their Division and were a top 5 defense for three of those years. In 2015, Miller had 15 of the league-leading 52 defensive sacks. That year, the Broncos went on to win the Super Bowl against the Carolina Panthers. In that game, Miller was named Super Bowl MVP. He almost single-handedly won the Broncos that game, stripping Cam Newton of the ball twice and sealing the game for the Broncos. For his performance in that game alone, he will forever be enshrined in Bronco’s history.
After the 2015 Super Bowl season, the Broncos went into an awkward rebuilding stage. After five straight seasons without a playoff appearance and another on the horizon, the Broncos shipped off their Super Bowl MVP in the hopes of getting some draft picks that could prepare them for the future, effectively ending Von Miller’s spectacular career in Denver. That year, Miller went on to win his second Super Bowl with the Rams.
What Monday Night’s Game Means For Both Sides
Though the two have history, Miller and Denver’s reunion will have little to no effect on the game’s outcome. Though he has expressed his love for Denver, Von Miller will more than likely be focused on gaining his first sack of the season. Even though many of Miller’s teammates are happy to be seeing him again, many of the old his old teammates have retired or gone to other teams. The storylines will be focused on the recent losses by the Bills and Russell Wilson’s make-or-break year. As a team, the Broncos don’t have the time or ability to focus on Miller’s reunion, only on his play. At the end of the day, football is a business and neither of these teams has time to focus on the past.
For Broncos fans, it will be a great opportunity to remind themselves what a winning culture feels like. They can think back on Miller’s career and remember what he gave to a team that was at its lowest. Miller’s time is up in Denver, but his jersey will still be worn by the many Broncos fans who loved to see him suit up in orange and blue.
Main Photo: [Ron Chenoy] – USA Today Sports
