Getty Bills quarterback Josh Allen at Highmark Stadium on October 01, 2023.
While Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller has not yet returned to action this season, the eight-time Pro Bowler has been keeping tabs on what’s been happening across the league and sent out a strong message after watching the late hit on Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in Week 4.
In the second quarter, Herbert faked a handoff and proceeded to rush the ball himself against the Las Vegas Raiders. Herbert scrambled toward the sideline, and once he had one foot out of bounds, Raiders defensive tackle Jerry Tillery blasted him to the ground.
“He’s lucky he got out of there alive,” former Raiders right tackle Lincoln Kennedy said on the Las Vegas radio broadcast, per ESPN. The Chargers immediately cleared the bench in anger and Tillery was ejected from the game.
Jerry Tillery was ejected after this hit on Justin Herbert out of bounds 😳
During the latest episode of Miller’s “The Voncast,” the 34-year-old threatened opponents who try to pull a similar dirty play on his QB1, Bills star Josh Allen. Miller said, “I tell you what, if somebody hit Josh Allen like that, I’m getting kicked out of the game. Not gonna let that fly, man.”
Those looking to defy the 6-foot-3, 250-pound, future Hall of Famer edge rusher, can do so at their own risk. One fan commented on Instagram, “Imagine being on the receiving end of that Von Miller smoke 😵,” while another person wrote, “Von aint one of these internet fake tough guys either, he means that s***.”
Miller called going after a quarterback like that “ridiculous,” and applauded Herbert’s teammates for immediately coming to his defense. “That’s what you’re supposed to do,” he said.
Von Miller Returned to Practice, But Week 5 Status vs. Jaguars Remains Unclear
How did Von Miller look today?
See for yourself.
45 seconds of Miller going full speed. (and his knee brace)
Just about all of the full speed stuff during the portion of practice open to media
Miller, who suffered a torn ACL on Thanksgiving Day last season, returned to practice for the first time on Wednesday, October 4, which means the Bills have 21 days to activate him to the 53-man roster.
As for whether he’ll suit up for their “home” game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the veteran said on his podcast, “Who knows how many chances I’ll get to play in London, so I want this to happen. I’m pushing for it to happen. I think you can go ahead and really check that box and you guys will see me playing in London.”
While he may travel with the team, it seems highly unlikely Miller will play. The Bills fly to London on Thursday night which only gives Miller one day of padded practice before what would be his first game back in roughly 10 months. Bills head coach Sean McDermott will likely err on the side of caution with their $120 million edge rusher.
Miller told reporters after practice on Wednesday that he has full trust in the Bills front office and coaching staff to make the final call. “If they want me to play, I’ll play,” he said. “My goal is to be available. If they feel like it’s best for me to play, then I’ll play. I wanna play.
“But they’re the guys and they’re calling the shots… If they want to wait until next week verse the Giants then I’ll do that as well.”
Von Miller Will Bolster an Already Top-Ranked Defense
Our defense currently leads the NFL in sacks. 😤
The Bills defense already looks like one of the top units in the entire league, so adding Miller back into the mix, a player who’s recorded 123.5 sacks in his NFL career, makes the team even more scary.
Allen, like all of Bills Mafia, is pumped for his return. “I mean, it’s Von Miller. First-ballot Hall of Famer, the juice that he brings for the guys, the trust that everybody has in him, he’s the ultimate closer,” Allen told reporters.
“So, whenever he’s ready to go, we’re gonna welcome him with open arms… It’s a very, very good unit adding a very, very good player – one of the greatest to play.”