Von Miller got the Denver Broncos to help reestablish the new “Orange Crush” as a three-time First Team All-Pro and leading the league’s best defense in 2015 to the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Miller, as of Monday, emotionally left the Rocky Mountains and is taking his 110.5 career sacks with him to the Los Angeles Rams.
One final entrance at @EmpowerField. 👋
“I’ll always be a Bronco for life.”
Can’t wait to see the tattoo, @VonMiller. 🧡
Miller went on to leave a place that produced legendary defenders like Tom Jackson, Randy Gradishar, Paul Smith, Billy Thompson and in later years Steve Atwater. But left a once floundering defense in a better place, especially winning the 2016 Super Bowl.
Now, he’s not only heading to a venue where Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey are tabbed as the heart and soul of the defense, but names like Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier ring loud in L.A.
And it’s that legendary defensive mystique No. 40 wants to recreate with his new team.
“You hear stories of the ‘Fearsome Foursome,’ you hear stories of this legendary defense, and we want to re-create that,” Miller told reporters on Wednesday, November 3, in his first meeting with the L.A. media.
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Miller’s Biggest Adjustment to L.A.
It’s more than just Raheem Morris’s defense that Miller has to master. It’s also more than just knowing where everything is in and around the Rams’ facility. Lastly, it’s more than just fitting in with a team that’s 7-1 and just increased their Super Bowl aspirations by trading for Miller.
For Miller, his biggest adjustment comes from looking around.
“Honestly, it’s all mental. Everything just looks weird,” Miller said to reporters. “I’ve been wearing blue and orange forever. Everything just looks weird.”
But, “it feels extremely right. It feels right to be here. It feels like this is the right thing for me.”
Miller spilled tears when ABC7 Denver reporter Troy Renck caught up to him after the trade. He continued those tears, but says not all of the lacrimation he showed was on the melancholy side.
“I cried a lot on Monday, but (not all the tears) were sad. I had tears of joy too,” Miller said.
How Will Miller Fit in?
Miller is taking a slow road to inserting himself into the defensive rotation. He is coming to L.A. off the heels of an ankle injury that sidelined him versus the Washington Football Team.
The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue noticed that Miller was briefly working with Rams’ Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Reggie Scott.
Of course, his availability on Sunday will also depend on how quickly he adjusts into defense. Lot of the schematic language is the same so I’m not pessimistic about at least some opportunities for Sunday.
Miller, however, did pass his physical per head coach Sean McVay.
McVay himself admitted on Monday with the L.A. media that he was stunned Miller’s name floated as a trade possibility.
“‘You’ve got to be s******* me!’ That’s what I said. I’m like, ‘No way,’” McVay said during a video conference on Monday after the trade. “I was very surprised that this was a possibility, and I was glad we were able to get it done.”
Many are now wondering how the likes of Miller, Donald and Leonard Floyd will attack QB’s. The Rams have the league’s best pass rush right now with a league-high 25 sacks, as 10 different Rams including “A.D” and “Flo” have a sack.
One thing Miller does already have in common with Donald: Most of his sacks come in between the numbers. Here’s Miller’s production via @NFLvisuals:
Here’s a visual of every Von Miller sack for the Denver Broncos.
#BroncosCountry please RT to make sure every Broncos fan can see it!
(and hopefully @VonMiller himself will see it too 😃🤞)
Follow me for more visuals, let me know if you have a request
Donald has a near similar sack production per this graphic:
Here’s a visual of every Aaron Donald sack for the @RamsNFL .
#Rams fans, please retweet to make sure every Rams fan can see it, and hopefully @AaronDonald97 will see it too 😉
Follow me for more visuals, let me know if you have a request #NFLTwitter
Miller told reporters he’s been in awe with Donald’s game over the years, even saying he’s a creator of a new pass rush move.
“What stuck out for me with Aaron is that the stuff he’s doing, there is no move for it. There is no…you can’t really put it into words. I think he really created this ‘power pop‘ and really, he was just bullying a guy and moving him out the way,” Miller said. “I was just blown away by his strength and knowledge of the game. Some of the stuff he does, it just can’t be done.”
Miller waved a difficult goodbye to the place where he reshaped the image of the Bronco defense. But now, he can potentially create a new “Fearsome Foursome.” He’s already woken up feeling like a Ram.
“I went to sleep 4-4 and woke up 7-1,” Miller said.
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Von Miller Aims to Recreate Legendary NFL Defense with the Rams