(Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Future Hall of Famer Von Miller made one thing clear this week — he plans to play in 2026 and hopes that season ends where his legendary career began.
Speaking during a charity event for his Von’s Vision foundation in the Denver area, Miller revealed he has actively lobbied Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton about returning to the franchise.
“I lobbied publicly, privately, so I lobbied,” Miller said. “At 37 years old, I can still roll out of bed and rush the quarterback.”
Miller Still Believes He Can Produce
Despite entering his late 30s, Miller remains convinced he can still contribute at a high level.
The veteran pass rusher recorded nine sacks last season with the Washington Commanders while appearing in all 17 games and playing a rotational role. It marked his highest sack total since 2021, when he split time between Denver and the Los Angeles Rams.
Miller emphasized that he understands he is no longer an every-down player but believes his experience, leadership and situational pass-rushing ability still hold major value.
“I’ve been the guy and also I’ve been the vice president,” Miller said. “I would love to assist and help us get back to the glory land.”
Broncos Reunion Would Carry Major Emotional Weight
Few players in Broncos history are more closely tied to the franchise than Miller.
Denver selected him second overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he spent more than a decade with the organization while becoming one of the greatest defensive players of his generation. Miller helped lead the Broncos to victory in Super Bowl 50, earning MVP honors after dominating the Carolina Panthers with 2.5 sacks and multiple game-changing plays.
He currently sits tied with Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware for 13th on the NFL’s all-time sack list with 138.5 career sacks.
Miller also mentioned wanting to mentor younger Denver pass rushers like Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper the same way Ware mentored him late in Ware’s career.
Broncos Have Stayed Quiet So Far
So far, Denver has not publicly shown interest in bringing Miller back.
The Broncos largely focused on retaining their own players this offseason, re-signing 17 free agents while making only a handful of outside additions, including the trade for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Still, Miller remains hopeful a reunion can happen before training camp.
“I would love to come back home and do that for the organization that has given me so much,” Miller said.
Even if Denver ultimately passes, Miller sounded confident that another team will give him an opportunity to continue climbing the NFL sack leaderboard in 2026.
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