Getty Von Miller #40 of the Buffalo Bills runs off the field after a preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium on August 20, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York.
The Buffalo Bills season opener will carry a little more weight for superstar linebacker Von Miller, as he will be facing his former team, the Los Angeles Rams, the franchise he helped make Super Bowl champions last season.
While the eight-time Pro Bowler has discussed how difficult the decision was to leave the Rams, and still has a lot of love for his former teammates and coaches, on Tuesday, September 6, Miller, who’s been named as a team captain in Buffalo, made it clear where his allegiance lies.
The 33-year-old tweeted out Buffalo’s latest hype video entitled, “Von Miller’s Letter to Bills Mafia,” and wrote “LFG!!!!!!!!” The video, which he also posted on Instagram, features Miller praying “to be the player they want me to be” and to “bring a Super Bowl to this fan base,” quickly went viral on both social media platorms.
In the video, Miller acknowledges that he was almost drafted by the Bills instead of the Denver Broncos back in 2011, and all the missed chances the franchise has had in trying to bring a championship title home to Buffalo. He says, “Yeah, I know the stories. I heard the history. I know ya’ll carry a lot of pain. Wide right, the Music City Miracle, 13 seconds,” before flipping a lighter and saying, “Bruh. F*** it. Burn it all.”
“ACTUAL GOOSEBUMPS,” one person wrote in the comments section on Instagram. Another Bills fan tweeted in reponse, “Am I the only one that teared up 🥲 and also felt like I could run through a brick wall? Yeah? Ok good talk,” while another person wrote, “You’ve already won over all the hearts of #BillsMafia.”
Numerous fans got emotional listening to Miller’s letter. One woman tweeted, “Literally sobbing. This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for from him. To give me the all in, to show he knows. Sound bytes are good, but this…this binds us. Thank you @VonMiller. #BillsMafia puts a lot of love into the community and this team. We’ve got you. Go get it.👏❤️💙🦬”
The video even caught the attention of former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III. Griffin tweeted, “Wow. When you put it like that, how can you root against #BillsMafia.”
Rams Star Aaron Donald Still Loves Miller But Says ‘He’s the Enemy Now’
Even though Miller left Los Angeles to sign a six-year $120 million contract with Buffalo, his teammates still have a love for him. Rams superstar defensive lineman Aaron Donald told reporters on Monday that he credits the two-time Super Bowl champion for making him a better player.
“If anything, we had conversations more about leadership, me being more of a vocal guy,” Donald said. “I give a lot of credit, just obviously, in that playoff run having those conversations with Von — I feel like he challenged me with some things as a vocal leader and I took that to heart and I stepped up when we needed [me] to. So I always will respect and love Von for that.
“We created some special things. We miss him, but he’s on the opposite side now, so, you know, he’s the enemy.”
Miller Isn’t Thrilled He Has to Face the Rams in Week 1
Miller admits that having to face the Rams right away in Week 1 is definitely not how he would’ve liked things to shake out.
“The NFL is just so messy,” Miller said, per the Bills’ official website. “I’m playing in the Super Bowl and then my first game back is right there with a new team. And that’s what the fans want to see. Of course, there will be some emotions there. I respect Aaron Donald and all those guys so much. It’s like, `What can I say?’ There was no reason for me to leave. I just felt like this was my place to be. I’ve won a Super Bowl with those guys. They’ve earned my respect and I’ve earned their respect and now I’m on a new team, and I’m trying to do those same things with my colleagues here.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott can confirm that Miller is already making a massive impact on the team.
McDermott said of Miller, “I think you’re talking about the impact that a player is making on a team and the influence that someone carries, in this case, a veteran player that’s played at a very high level for a long time. I’ve been really pleased with that process of him getting to know us, us getting to know him. He is certainly a phenomenal player, but he’s also a phenomenal person and I think sometimes that’s maybe not as celebrated. But I think he really fits into our culture, and he’s really added a ton to our football team.”