Broncos and Von Miller reunion Sunday ‘bittersweet’ for Denver legend

Fatherly advice? Since it’s in Buffalo, Von Miller Sr. figured, he’ll probably just ride it out.

“Of course, he and I have had conversations about it,” the father of Broncos icon — and current Bills pass rushing ace — Von Miller told me Tuesday by phone from Texas. “I know how he feels. He grew up in Denver. And he became a man in Denver. Some of that will always be there.

The Millers are in the thick of Sunday’s AFC Wild Card game between the Broncos and Bills. These hearts are hitting a little harder than usual this week.

“It’s bittersweet,” Von Sr. said. “But when you find yourself in situations like that, you have to move on. And dedication must be where you work.

As John Lennon sang, life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. Von Miller, the Super Bowl 50 MVP, always planned to be on the field for the Broncos’ biggest game in nine years.

What he didn’t see coming was that he would do it while wearing blue and white Bills. Or that he would be responsible for crushing the rookie – Bo Nix – who effectively replaced him as the face of his favorite franchise.

“The one thing I always tried to get him to focus on is that you have to know that it’s a business,” Von Sr. said. “And sometimes you have to put aside his feelings and move on. He had no control over this situation.

Broncos general manager George Paton ripped the band-aid off John Elway, trading Miller to the Rams in November 2021 for two draft picks. The Vonsters landed another ring a few months later in La La Land, then parlayed that into a six-year contract in Buffalo worth $20 million a year.

Young Von was crushed in that moment, wiping away tears as he left Dove Valley that morning. Looking back, it was a win-win deal. Eventually.

The Broncos took a lot longer to get there, of course, thanks to reasons no one here should ever have to experience again.

“It’s crazy,” Von Sr. said. “As a family, we all kept our eyes on the Broncos. Like any other team, like any other franchise, they go through tough times. But it looks like they’re on the mend, making progress. »

Of course.

Time flies when you haven’t won.

“Can you believe,” I asked Von’s dad, “that almost nine years have passed since Super Bowl 50?”

“It seems like it was yesterday,” laughed Von Sr. “It seems like yesterday we were in a place that I thought would be his story.

“But things happened. The NFL is a business.

And Sunday is a business trip. For everyone. That includes Von Sr. and his wife, Gloria, who may have to weather a winter storm to get north to Orchard Park.

“(I) still have friends in Denver and I have a lot in Buffalo,” said Von Sr. “We still communicate. But I didn’t get any calls (from the Broncos).

If anything, it helps the Vonster – and his friends – that he’s already faced the Broncos once before. Last November, during a strange and wild Monday Night Football brawl, the ex-Denver star recorded just one solo stop and no sacks on 23 snaps, according to Pro-Football-Reference. A Wil Lutz field goal as time expired — and that one was a replay, as the Bills were flagged by too many men on the field on Lutz’s first miss — gave Denver a 24-22 victory.

“He wasn’t at his best,” Von Sr. said of his son. “The (Bills) weren’t at their best. It will be a better contest this time.

Border competitions seem to occupy an important place. The Bills were 11-0 this season when they had two or more sacks, but 2-4 when there was one sack or less. In the six games that saw The Vonster notch a sack, Buffalo went 5-1.

“Von and I have a great relationship,” Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles said earlier this week. “I don’t know how much I will see him because he plays on the right side. But I bet he’ll come and then I’ll have to do what it takes to get him back that way. But I love the child. I love him to death. He’s part of my family and I can’t wait to see him.

The Vonsters may have left Denver, but Denver never completely left the Vonsters. His non-profit organization “Von’s Vision” still provides Front Range children with necessary eye care and corrective glasses. Most of his former teammates are long gone. But the memories remain. Right next to that Lombardi Trophy.

“Broncos Country, in our day, they always traveled well,” mused Von Sr. “But Buffalo is a different place.”

His son is also in another place.

“It’s like leaving home,” Von Sr. said. “You have to start with yourself somewhere. Once you leave home, you have to put down roots elsewhere.

“That’s (what) Von did. But he never forgets where he comes from.

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Originally published: January 7, 2025 at 8:12 p.m. MST