DeMarcus Ware’s impact on Von Miller, Broncos long-lasting

Christmas Day in Kansas City may have been the last time we see DeMarcus Ware in orange and blue, as the Denver Broncos placed the Hall of Fame-bound pass rusher on injured reserve this week with a ruptured disc in his back.

However, Ware’s lasting impact may be felt in Denver for years to come.

“What does DeMarcus Ware mean to me? I could sit here all day and just write a book about the moments that DeMarcus has impacted my life,” linebacker Von Miller said Thursday.

Back in March, Denver general manager John Elway likened the two to “brothers,” and Ware has helped Miller mature into the dominant pass-rushing force he is today.

“I think DeMarcus Ware has had a tremendous effect on him, too. He’s been a big brother for him, and Von has responded,” Elway said at the time.

In his three years in Denver, Ware has played mentor to Miller, helping the talented pass rusher on his way to 38.5 sacks in that time, culminating with a 5-sack postseason performance and a Super Bowl 50 MVP last season.

Together, the two have 60 sacks combined since 2014.

“I’ve been in the league six years and three of those years have been with DeMarcus. If you look at my years with DeMarcus, and you look at the type of player that I was and the type of person that I am now during DeMarcus’ tenure is entirely different,” Miller said.

Denver defensive coordinator Wade Phillips called Ware not only a great player but a “really good leader” that raises all boats when he’s on the field.

“We played pretty good defense with him. Even though he was banged up some this year and had some health problems, everybody is confident when he’s out on the field,” Phillips said.

But getting on the field has been a struggle for Ware in his time in Denver. After playing in all 16 games in 2014, Ware played in just 11 in 2015 and 10 in 2016.

This season alone Ware missed five games after suffering a broken forearm in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Chiefs.

Head coach Gary Kubiak did not get into specifics on if Ware would be back in Denver next season, but both Phillips and Miller said they believe the veteran wants to return from the injury.

“He still has gas in the tank, and I would like to see him come back. He’s a champion (and) he’s a leader,” Miller said. “There is so much other stuff that I can put behind that, but it would be great to get him back.”

Ware will undergo surgery on Friday.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.