Buffalo Bills pass rusher Von Miller said he expects to play in the season opener on Sept. 11, approximately 10 1/2 months removed from sustaining a torn right ACL.
“You know I love guarantees,” Miller said Thursday, via Channel 9NEWS in Denver. “It’s me, it’s Von. I love guarantees. I want to play. In 2013, I had (ACL) surgery in January and I played at the beginning of August in the preseason. So that put me around seven months, eight months.
“And 10 years removed from that, 2023, I have a whole new outlook. I know exactly where I’m supposed to be at two months, four months, six months and in the position where I’m at now. I feel great, I feel comfortable. I feel like I’ll be ready to go at the start of the season.”
Still, despite his confidence, he hedged a bit.
Miller, 34, is well aware of who he might be facing in the season opener, provided he is able to get back on the field.
“I trust our GM, I trust our athletic trainers, I trust our team, our owners. Whenever it’s time for me to play, I’ll be ready to go,” Miller said. “I want to be ready (for) Week 1 versus the Jets. Aaron Rodgers, ‘Monday Night Football.’
“But at the same time I’m not in control of that. I’m going to do everything I can physically, mentally, emotionally to be ready for that. But if it’s not the first week of the season, then it won’t be any longer than Week 6, for sure.”
Miller recorded eight sacks and 21 tackles while forcing one fumble in 11 games (all starts) last season, his first since signing a six-year, $120 million contract.
The eight-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro has totaled 123.5 sacks, 561 tackles, 27 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries in 161 career games (all starts) with the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams and Bills.
He was part of Super Bowl-winning teams in both Denver and Los Angeles.
–Field Level Media