Throughout your time on earth, you may find yourself overstaying your welcome somewhere purely because you simply aren’t ready to leave, even if those clear signs of aging suggest otherwise. If you need an example, look no further than the former Denver Bronco and future NFL Hall of Famer, Von Miller.
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After recording one of the most impressive resumes of any outside linebacker in the history of professional football, the 36 year old did nearly everything he could just to give himself one parting chance at becoming two-time Super Bowl champion. The only problem, however, is that he would eventually choose to spend the 14th year of his career with the wrong franchise.
“It was my first time being a free agent,” Miller noted in reference to last year’s offseason prior to suggesting that he can’t afford to make the same mistake twice at this point in his career. ” I had two contract offers by the end of free agency… I had one contract from the Washington Commanders, and I had one from the Seattle Seahawks.”I made the decision to go to the Washington Commanders, and the other team won the Super Bowl, so these next decisions that I have to make, I have to be right on… It’s all about making the right decisions.”
While it likely stung to watch his now-former potential suitors hoist a Lombardi trophy without him, Miller isn’t letting that bother him too much. In fact, he’s more than willing to chalk it up to being nothing more than a bid of bad luck.
It’s just that he can’t afford to have much more of that given his age and overall status in the league. “I felt like the connection that I had with Adam Peters and Dan Quinn, and the team that they had, just needed a couple more pieces to get over the hump.”
“We got hit with the injury bug,” he scoffed. “It could’ve went the opposite way if I would’ve went with the Seattle Seahawks. They could have got hit with the injury bug and the Commanders could have went to the Super Bowl.”
For better or worse, however, the three-time All-Pro OLB won’t be getting a mulligan for the 2025 season. And if his current outlook wasn’t already bleak enough, then perhaps it’s also worth noting that he was only able to start in three games for the Commanders last year.
That lack of reliability, as well as the fact that he’s officially closer to the age of 40 than not, seems to indicate that Miller’s phone will likely remain silent for the majority of the upcoming free agency period. Thankfully, the Commanders still have the fifth most salary cap space of any team in the NFL, so as long as they are fond of the idea of bringing him back for one last title push, then there shouldn’t be much else standing in the way of Miller retiring as a member of the NFC East.
