BILLS OLB VON MILLER OUT FOR THE SEASON WITH ACL INJURY
Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller is out for the season after he had surgery to repair an ACL tear, Bills head coach Sean McDermott confirmed on Wednesday.
Miller suffered an injury to his right knee during the Bills’ Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions on November 24. The initial assessment confirmed the 33-year-old had sustained a lateral meniscus tear. After an exploratory surgery on Tuesday this week in Dallas, doctors found significant ACL damage on his right knee to repair, the same knee that Miller also tore his ACL in 2013. The surgery was done by Dr. Daniel Cooper, MD of Carrell Clinic.
An original MRI scan done on Friday, November 25, did not adequately show a torn ACL, and Miller’s initial plan for surgery was to reposition the lateral meniscus that had moved into another channel while also cleaning up cartilage damage. This would have given Miller the opportunity to return late in the regular season.
Although no one expected the surgery to include the repair of Miller’s anterior cruciate ligament, the thought of a torn ACL lingered in the minds of every party involved. Bills GM Brandon Beane told reporters on Wednesday: “He flew to Dallas on Monday and saw Dr. Cooper down there and I was aware that it [a torn ACL] was a possibility, you know? We were all crossing our fingers. But you see more when you go in there. You hope it’s just a clean scope and you get him back… but once Dr. Cooper got in there, he felt it wasn’t going to hold and he needed to repair.”
Miller had said on his podcast, The Voncast that he hoped to be back after missing just one game, expecting a Week 14 return against the New York Jets. The Bills then went ahead to put him on IR early this month to give him four weeks and ease him back but Tuesday’s surgery revealed the extent of his injury.
Miller took to social media after the surgery and posted a video on Twitter saying: “I’m good. I’ll be right back. Mentally, I couldn’t be in a better spot and I think that is the majority of it. Don’t feel sorry for me. Don’t say, “I hate it for you.” None of that stuff because I’m good. I’m excited for the opportunity to show my teammates how tough I am, how hard I work, and how important this means to me. I love you guys and I appreciate you guys. All love and respect. Don’t blink, baby!”
This is now the second straight year the Buffalo Bills lost a key defensive player on Thanksgiving. The team lost Pro Bowl cornerback Tre’Davious White when he tore his ACL in New Orleans against the Saints last year and now lost Von Miller to another ACL tear. Both injuries happened on slit film turf.
Miller’s injury hurts the Bills’ chances at a Super Bowl and ends his dream of fighting for a second consecutive championship on the field. The 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year has put up 21 tackles including 18 solo tackles, a team-leading 8 sacks, and one forced fumble in 11 games. Arguably the team’s best pass rusher, the Bills will now try to achieve their goals without Miller and will try to make use of his leadership and experience on the sideline instead of on the field.
Head Coach Sean McDermott said on Wednesday: “Unfortunate situation, for Von, obviously, and our team. Care for him, obviously, like we would any player. We know how much this means to him in terms of playing and being with the team, so we look forward to getting him back, obviously off the field for the rest of the season and his leadership, and we’re certainly thinking about him as he recovers here.”
Bills General Manager Brandon Beane is optimistic that the team could have Miller for the majority of the 2023 season despite the surgery late in the regular season. “We think if everything goes well with his rehab,” Beane said. “We’ll have him for most of 2023.”
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero