Von Miller Could Be Done For the Season After Suffering an Ankle Injury
Von Miller just got done beating COVID-19 and now he's been hit with another haymaker. The 31-year-old defensive end suffered a "lower leg" injury at Denver Broncos practice on Tuesday and it looks pretty bad. The team fears he'll be out for the season.
#Broncos pass-rusher Von Miller suffered a lower leg injury in practice today, per me and @MikeGarafolo. The fear is that he’s done for the season. But the MRI will tell all.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 8, 2020
It appears it is, in fact, an ankle injury.
The leg injury that NFL Network said Von Miller suffered is an ankle injury, per source. There’s fear that it’s season ending, per sources. Miller was hurt near the end of practice, what one person called “a freak” injury. Team still evaluating MRI now.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 8, 2020
This is a real shame for Miller, who is one of the best defenders of his generation. He's a seven-time All-Pro (three-time first-teamer), an eight-time Pro Bowler and was a member of the NFL's 2010 All-Decade Team. Of course, he's most known for leading the Denver Broncos to a title at Super Bowl 50 and earning MVP honors in the game.
He struggled a bit in 2019, as he only had eight sacks and didn't get consistent pressure the way we're used to seeing. Part of that was the lack of help across from him as Bradley Chubb played in only four games after suffering a partial ACL tear in his left knee. With Chubb back, Miller had a chance at a bounce-back year in 2020.
Miller was the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and has lived up to the immense hype that followed him out of Texas A&M. He's spent his entire 10-year career in Denver, racking up 106 sacks.
Hopefully he can bounce back from this. Miller is on the wrong side of 30 and the Broncos have an $18 million team option on him for 2021. If they don't restructure that deal he could be a salary cap casualty.