Former A&M Star Von Miller Make Super Bowl History In Win
In case you didn't know, there is only a handful of names that might have made a bigger impact at Texas A&M than Von Miller. At the professional level, he might be the greatest Aggie to ever grace the gridiron.
Miller won his second Super Bowl as a member of the Los Angeles Rams Sunday in a 23-20 showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. Traded at the NFL deadline, Miller, 32, became a staple in run support for the Rams on the way to a second appearance in the "Big Game" in four seasons.
What's interesting is Miller entered College Station as a middle-tier level prospect from DeSoto High School. In two Super Bowls, he's recorded 4.5 sacks, including two on Sunday against Bengals' quarterback Joe Burrow.
With the two sacks, Miller now is tied for the most sacks in Super Bowl history with San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys defender Charles Haley. The difference? Haley played in five games. Miller needed two to tie the record.
“Rushing the passer, that’s what I do better than anything else in the world,” Miller told reporters postgame. “I’m a great dad, I’m a great brother, I’m a great son, a great teammate. But rushing the passer in those moments? That’s what I do (best).”
In 2016, Miller was riding high as he closed out his fifth season with the Denver Broncos. Quarterback Peyton Manning closed out his storybook career with a Super Bowl victory, but Miller was the star of the game.
The former Aggie recorded 2.5 sacks to go along with six tackles and two forced fumbles, one of which would be recovered in the end zone for the Broncos' touchdown. He was named Super Bowl 50 MVP for his efforts in a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.
He carried that same intensity on a new roster this postseason out in Los Angeles.
“I believed in Denver, and I believed we were going to be able to get things right and make it to the Super Bowl,” Miller said. “I’ve always been optimistic like that, and I came here (to Los Angeles) and had that same belief."
Under the direction of Dennis Franchione and later Mike Sherman, Miller would go on to become one of the rising stars of the Big 12 at defensive end. In his final season at A&M, Miller recorded 17.5 tackles and 10.5 sacks on his way to winning the Butkus Award as the nation’s top college linebacker.
Miller recorded 181 tackles, 50.5 tackles for losses, 33 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and an interception with the Aggies. He would be selected second overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, becoming the fourth A&M player to be selected No. 2 along with running back John Kimbrough (1941), running back John David Crow (1958) and linebacker Quentin Coryatt (1992).
In 10 seasons, Miller has recorded 540 tackles, 233 quarterback hits, 115.5 sacks, 27 forced fumbles, and two interceptions.
He’s a great football player who’s going to have a gold jacket one day,” Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald said.
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