Von Miller had “no doubts” about returning to the Broncos

After a season-ending ankle injury in 2020, Von Miller is coming into his 11th season with the Denver Broncos with the same intensity that’s brought him this far.

.@VonMiller's still the 🐐 pic.twitter.com/MvydGvt8h8

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 24, 2021

Miller’s season last year was over before it began when the linebacker dislocated his peroneal tendon and was placed on injured reserve.

He posted just eight sacks in 2019 and was primed for a big year, but that opportunity never came. Now, Miller said he’s created a new version of himself after a difficult rehab.

“I think the mindset that I created last year; I don’t think it was one-year thing for me. I think it was a new version of myself,” Miller said. “The same intensity and the same work ethic that I had last year, I just refocused and reloaded to do it again this year. Same stuff, different year.”

After months of speculation if Miller would return to the Broncos, general manager George Paton exercised the $7 million guarantee option on Miller’s $18 million salary for 2021.

Paton said the team always wanted to bring Miller back, and the linebacker had no doubts he would continue to wear the orange and blue.

“I always had an internal faith that I would be here. I said a long time ago that I want to be a Bronco for life,” Miller said. “I always felt like this was home and this is where I was going to end up. I always felt I was going to come back.”

The soon-to-be 32-year-old former Super Bowl MVP noted that his previous level of play has “never left” him.

Miller owns 106 career sacks, three first-team All-Pro nods and eight Pro Bowls. He had played at least 15 games the six seasons before missing all of last year.

While Miller has been deemed as the best defensive player in Broncos history and viewed as one of the game’s best, his production level has gone down.

In 2019 Miller received yet another Pro Bowl bid, but had just eight sacks in 15 games — the lowest output since his injury-shortened 2013 season.

But his age and recent track record isn’t changing how he feels about this upcoming season and his career.

“I felt like last season was going to be the season, but I feel like this season is going to be a great season, too,” Miller said. “Just refocus with that same fire and that same intensity and just grind it out. I’m still running around here beating everybody’s [butt], so I feel like, 30-what? Until I see otherwise, I’m going to keep doing it and I’m going to keep going.”