Von Miller hopes to turn back the clock against Broncos on Monday

Von Miller hopes to be the vintage version of himself on Monday when the longtime Denver Bronco faces his old team for the first time—but it’s far from spite for the legendary linebacker.

“It’s just another game for me, I haven’t played there in two years. I didn’t get to play for the owner and coach that is there now,” the Buffalo Bills pass rusher said on Thursday. “But one thing that will never change is my love for Broncos Country, they were with me through everything. Coming in as a rookie, getting injured twice, both Super Bowls, they’ve always been the same—never changed. I’ll be on Twitch now and I still get messages from Broncos Country, it’s always love.”

Even after the 2021 trade that sent Miller to Los Angeles where he won another Super Bowl, the two sides have shown a ton of respect for another. Miller nearly had a reunion with Denver that following spring but George Paton wrongly decided to go for Randy Gregory instead. Still, nobody has worn the No. 58 on the field since Miller left while many in the crowd at Mile High still wear his jersey.

Miller is undoubtedly a top-ten player in franchise history and a surefire Hall of Famer thanks to the 10 seasons in Colorado where he recorded a franchise-best 110.5 sacks, 142 tackles for a loss and 25 forced fumbles.

“It’ll be fun, it’ll be different for sure, it’s not like a revenge game or anything like that for me,” Miller said. “I left on good terms, I left having won a Super Bowl. I had a great relationship with everyone in that facility. I didn’t want to leave, I cried real tears when I left. Seeing that organization start to do better is a treat for me, it would never be the other way around. Eleven years there, I’ve had so many players come through there that I built special relationships with.”

Wilson overlapped with plenty of current Broncos, to whom he is proud of the relationships he still has with them to this day. He pointed out the fun he had this summer at Courtland Sutton’s wedding and what it’s meant to him to see Justin Simmons, Pat Surtain II and more grow as players.

“There’s no other star player in the league who was treated the way I was. Everyone loved me there,” Miller said. “I don’t have motivation to show these guys; I want to play well for me. The Broncos just happen to be the team on the schedule.”

Miller is referencing his long road back from a significant knee injury that sapped him of the big games in his first season in Buffalo. Now the 34-year-old is working his way back and only five games into his season—he’s still sackless.

“It would be amazing to go out there and be the Von Miller of Super Bowl 50, not only for this game but for the rest of the season and into the Super Bowl,” Miller said. “That’s my mission, they really do just happen to be the next team. I’m really just starting to improve and develop and get back in my rhythm.”

The Bills are a favorite to get to the Super Bowl, especially if their defense can get right. The team has made four straight trips to the playoffs but is struggling at this season’s midpoint with a 5-4 record. This will be Miller’s first meeting against the orange and blue since the trade and therefore the first time he’s been rooting against the Broncos since he was drafted all those years ago.