But are Von Miller’s days numbered in Denver?
Von Miller (photo, Arrowhead Pride)
Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller went on air last weekend with Marty Smith. Miller talked about his Super Bowl accolades, Peyton Manning, and how he has become one of the NFL’s best defenders.
It was an opportunity to clear the air, too. Miller has been criticized in conjunction with the Broncos’ recent downturn. Even though Denver is only three years removed from a Super Bowl championship, a lot has changed, including three head coaches.
The defense has changed, too, from being a Top 10 unit to a squad with many questions.
But Miller made it very clear that he wants to be a part of Denver’s resurgence. “My heart is fully invested in the Denver Broncos,” he said. At the same time, Miller is also realistic about his future with the team. “If the Colts can let Peyton Manning go, then anybody who steps into the NFL can be let go.”
While it seems insane to think a premier player, like Miller, could be traded, anything is possible when a team underachieves.
Miller’s mom blasts John Elway
And that is what’s happening in Colorado. Even though the off-season is only in its infancy, Denver has already made another coaching change–Vance Joseph (11-21 in two seasons) is gone.
And Broncos’ management has talked openly about how Miller needs to enhance his defensive presence. That criticism didn’t settle well with Von’s mother, Gloria Miller, who opened up in an Instagram post. She said that John Elway needs to look candidly at his own decision making, including at the quarterback position. That’s why Denver has been losing, she concluded.
There’s dysfunction in Denver–one of the NFL’s most successful franchises over the past thirty years–with as many Super Bowl appearances as losing seasons since Pat Bowlen bought the team in 1984.
Von Miller, one of the NFL’s best pass rushers since he hit the field in 2011, has been a big part of that success. And while it would be a shame to see his tenure end as a Bronco, the Broncos have a lot of work to do before returning to the deserved status of greatness.
