Eight-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Von Miller is returning to Dallas for his age-37 season after agreeing to terms with the Cowboys on Sunday night. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Cowboys were expected to sign Miller, and Dallas announced agreeing to terms with the linebacker shortly after. The veteran defender, who led the Commanders with nine sacks last year, called the homecoming a dream within a dream.
Von Miller Signs With the Dallas Cowboys
A Lifelong Fanhood Comes Full Circle in Dallas
Von Miller, who played collegiately at Texas A&M, waited until the dog days of summer were mostly over before deciding on his next destination. The Cowboys were the first team to contact him, reaching out like a week before training camp opened. For a player born and raised in the Dallas suburb of DeSoto, Texas, the opportunity to wear the star on his helmet felt inevitable after talking to the Cowboys in the offseason because he always wanted to play with the star on his helmet and has always had blue in his heart since he was a little boy.
Miller’s earliest memory of football dates back to his childhood when he heard his daddy screaming in the back and ran back there to see what was going on, discovering he was screaming because the Dallas Cowboys had scored a touchdown. Having previously played for the Broncos, Rams, Bills, and Commanders, the veteran pass rusher acknowledged that returning to his roots carries deep personal meaning, noting that he lives there in the offseason, his mom and dad are here, and his kids are here.
It really has not hit me yet,
Von Miller said on the Nightcap Show. I’m excited to be here, I’m excited to get started.
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson React to Von Miller
Pacing the Pass Rush and Chasing a Third Title
Despite turning 37 and sitting out the 2020 season due to an ankle injury, Miller remains productive on the edge. He currently stands as the active leader in career sacks with 138.5, racking up nine sacks last year to lead the Commanders despite starting only three of 17 games. That number was the most since a 9.5-sack effort combined between the Broncos and Rams in 2021, a year that divides Miller’s career quite cleanly.
That production matches his career expectations heading into his fifth NFL franchise. I can still walk in at 8-10 sacks now. That’s just walking in,
Miller said, adding that I’m going to have opportunities to do it.
While he has earned eight Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams during his first nine seasons with the Broncos—and contributed two seasons of six-plus sacks for Buffalo after being traded from Denver to Los Angeles during the ’21 campaign and spending three years from 2022-24 with the Bills—his move to Dallas is explicitly focused on aspiring to win his third Super Bowl title rather than embarking on a farewell tour.
Analyst Reactions to a Low-Risk, High-Reward Addition
Football analysts have widely praised the acquisition as a smart gamble for a Dallas defense looking to rebound. The Cowboys gave up the most points in the league last year, but the unit appears vastly improved on paper after a thorough rebuild that includes a pass-rushing group led by Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and first-round rookie Malachi Lawrence.
Former NFL superstars Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson voiced strong approval for the move. Chad Johnson reacted: “I’m happy for Von. I’m hoping he can bolster that defense and help them improve, especially when it comes to putting pressure on quarterbacks. That’s going to be tremendous for them. Tremendous for the Cowboys. Very, very good pickup. Very good.”
Shannon Sharpe noted that the Cowboys had nothing to lose from signing Miller to a cheap contract, highlighting that you’re signing him on a minimum salary and anything that he gives you is a bonus because he can still rush the quarterback.
And if the Cowboys offense is what we expect them to be, they should be ahead on a lot of these games. So, it should take the run element out of a lot of these games, Sharpe explained
Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark Join Defensive Front
Locker Room Fit and Postponed Playoff Pressures
Beyond statistical output, Miller insists his presence inside the locker room will provide an immediate lift, stating he has no doubt that he’ll be a good fit in the Cowboys’ locker room. He dismissed any questions regarding his adaptability among new teammates.
I am the best teammate in the history of the National Football League. When it comes to being a great teammate, I just know how to do it,
Miller said. Every team that I’ve been on, there’s not a guy in that locker room who would say anything bad about me.
Even with established defensive stars on the roster—such as Quinnen Williams, who just signed a big-time contract, and Kenny Clark, with Sharpe noting they’ve got a lot of guys in there that they feel can stuff the run—heavy scrutiny will inevitably follow Miller into the postseason. Everyone knows all about the Cowboys’ postseason struggles, and analysts point out that Miller’s title-winning experience could prove crucial as Dallas looks to surge back into the playoffs.
