The Buffalo Bills defense will get a big boost on Sunday with star defensive end/outside linebacker Von Miller making his season debut.
Miller was listed as active ahead of the Bills’ Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, indicating that the eight-time Pro Bowl selection will play in his first game since suffering a torn ACL during Buffalo’s Thanksgiving Day win over the Detroit Lions last season. The Texas A&M product missed Buffalo’s final five regular-season games of the 2022 campaign and the first four games of the 2023 season before returning to practice this past week.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Miller will in fact play against Jacksonville on Sunday, but the Bills “will be smart and careful with how they use him.”
The three-time first-team All-Pro’s return to the field should provide a boost to a Buffalo defense that ranks second in scoring (13.8 points) and that has allowed the sixth-fewest yards per game (288.0) this season. Additionally, the Bills enter Sunday tied with the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks for the most sacks (16) this season.
Miller signed a six-year, $120 million deal with Buffalo ahead of the 2022 campaign, shortly after winning the second Super Bowl of his career as a member of the Los Angeles Rams. He tallied eight sacks in 11 games with the Bills before suffering the season-ending injury.
After Miller’s status for Sunday was first made public, many took to social media to celebrate the 34-year-old’s return to action.
Von Miller making his season debut, lovely innit #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/NFILzhYUd4
— Jenna Cottrell (@JennaCottrell) October 8, 2023
Von Miller is BACK #billsmafia pic.twitter.com/4blQj0gKwP
— Jenna Cottrell (@JennaCottrell) October 8, 2023
https://twitter.com/BillsMafiaGirl/status/1710988191589626024
The #Bills have activated Von Miller off the PUP list.
Giddy up #BillsMafia
He’s back. pic.twitter.com/K0Nk0WDNiD
— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) October 7, 2023
Hey there, @VonMiller. 👊#JAXvsBUF | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/gtEUTucolt
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 8, 2023
Von Miller is back.#Bills pic.twitter.com/YdYMrzrOi9
— Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) October 8, 2023
Von Miller lined up at LDE and Leonard Floyd was at RDE in warmups. This will be the first time those two have started and played a game together since Super Bowl LVI.
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) October 8, 2023
Looks like Von Miller and Kaiir Elam will make their first starts of the season today vs. Jaguars based on warmups.
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) October 8, 2023
Gonna be good to see @VonMiller back on the field today. Go get it dude! 💪🏼
— Justin (@Jmangh14) October 8, 2023
