-
Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
ORCHARD PARK, NY — Buffalo Bills defensive end Von Miller returned to continue Wednesday after his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy was lifted by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday.
“I’m in a great place. I’m just glad that’s all behind me,” said Miller, who missed Weeks 5-8 without pay. “Since I’ve been here with Buffalo Expenses, it’s been trauma or PUP history or suspense, and I’m glad to have all the things behind me for the first gear in two and a half years and to be able to focus solely on football .
“… There are nine games left, and once something is taken away from you, whether it’s football stuff, NFL stuff, league stuff, like what happened over the last month or whether it’s [an] injury… you just have a new appreciation for the sport.”
Miller arrived at the Glenn Heights (Texas) police station on November 30 with an arrest warrant for a charge of third-degree criminal assault of a pregnant woman. The accusations of assaulting his pregnant friend in the Dallas suburbs came during the Expenses’ break in 2023. He was booked into the DeSoto Tri-Town prison that afternoon before being held immune on $5,000 bail.
He denied the allegations and stated that they are “100% false.” The Dallas County District Legal Department Administrative Center told ESPN the latest that the case is closed. Denial charges were once filed in the case. The NFL conducted an independent investigation.
Miller did not say Wednesday whether he found the cliffhanger interesting.
“I’m just trying to bury that and put it behind me,” Miller, 35, said. “…I have a 6-2 team. Josh Allen is playing like an MVP. That’s our counterpart. They score points. I can rush the passer and do all the things I do. So that’s where my focus is.”
A temporary roster waiver was granted to the Expenses for this hour as Miller returns from his suspension, and the team has a clear spot on the 53-man roster awaiting him. He has been at the team facility for the month two weeks since the collective bargaining agreement promise allows players to be in development during the second part of the suspension period.
“From what I’ve seen in the last few weeks, [being in the facility] “It gives the player an opportunity to, first of all, from a mental health standpoint, get back with their teammates,” school teacher Sean McDermott said. “And then, number two, from a physical health standpoint, do what you can to get a little better when you come out of suspension.”
Goodell said in March that he envisioned hanging Miller on the commissioner’s excuse list, but that he didn’t feel he was adequate at speed based on all the information. The commissioner’s record makes players exempt from counting toward the active roster for progressive reasons through the commissioner.
Miller has played in 27 regular-season games with the Expenses and two playoff games since signing a six-year deal worth an initial $120 million in March 2022. He suffered major trauma to his right ACL on Day Thanksgiving Day 2022, and he said every During training camp this year, he said he “probably shouldn’t have played” in 2023 as a result of the trauma. He restructured his insurance this offseason, cutting his salary and keeping the $8.645 million in cap space.
“It’ll be good to have Von back,” McDermott said. “He’s been out four weeks and you’re never sure what that’s going to bring, right, in terms of staying refined, staying polished. But I’m sure he’s been eager to get back. It’ll be good to have him back.
“But again, it’s never about one person, especially when you’re playing up front. It’s about the sum of the portions and it’s about four guys running as one. And that will be noticeable to us as we proceed as general protection.”
The Bills went 3-1 when Miller was suspended and have a 3½-game lead in the AFC East heading into Sunday’s home game against the Miami Dolphins. Miller had three sacks in the first four games of the season.
