Miller aims to match Brady’s longevity

Two-time Super Bowl champion Von Miller, 33, said he wants to be as long-lived in the NFL as Tom Brady, considered the league’s greatest player, who at 44 will play his 23rd season.

“I try to play everything. Tom Brady did it, I admire him in terms of the longevity of his career, although I’m going one day at a time and I’m just going to take as long as God gives me to make it,” explained Miller who in March signed to play with the Buffalo Bills.

The linebacker, champion with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 and with the Los Angeles Rams in last February’s LVI, has a contract with the Bills for the next six years in exchange for 120 million dollars.

If he fulfills the contractual commitment that binds him to head coach Sean McDermott’s team, Miller would be 39 years old and play 16 seasons in 2027, still far from the 23 that Brady will reach, although at a position with much more physical contact.

The eight-time Pro Bowl selection described himself as passionate about American soccer, a sport in which he will look to stay as long as possible.

“I’m 33 years old, but I honestly don’t feel 33. My intention is to play all six years of my contract in Buffalo. I’m a real sicko of the game when you get to know me,” he argued.

The DeSoto, Texas, native is the NFL’s active leader in quarterback catches with 115.5; he is seeking the league mark of 200 held by legendary Bills star Bruce Smith, who played 19 seasons.

Miller has played 10 seasons, missing 2020 with a dislocated peroneal tendon. He totaled 9.5 catches in 2021, including two in Super Bowl LVI, in which the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.

The linebacker stressed the importance of mental toughness to stay at the top of his game.

“I think once you start feeling old there’s no going back. I’ve been in the league a long time and when guys start complaining about injuries and stuff, I tell them; man, of course it’s cold on the field. I try to keep my mind positive.”

Von Miller mentioned that he will look to use all that experience to rub off on his teammates on the Bills.

“The main thing is that I don’t look 33 at all. When I’m on the field I make it a point to show the guys what I’m made of and earn their trust; yes, I’m 33, but I can run with you, I can run with anybody; I’m healthy and I take care of my body.”