Vic Fangio Says PGA Champ Phil Mickelson Offers Blueprint for Von Miller's Comeback
Two-time PGA champion Phil Mickelson became the oldest winner of a golf major all-time on Sunday night. His victory illustrates how elite athletes are now pushing their careers more successfully into their twilight years.
More than ever before, age is less of a barrier to star athletes as they keeping to the top of professional sports performing well into their 30s, 40s, and now 50s.
‘Lefty’s achievement appealed to Denver Broncos' head coach Vic Fangio, who happens to be an avid golf fan. Fangio views Mickelson’s success as a benchmark for what Von Miller can achieve entering his age-32 season coming off a 2020 campaign lost entirely to an ankle injury.
As we saw yesterday in golf, Mickelson proved you can play great, but the one thing he did mention was he’s had to work harder and be more committed to his game to achieve that," Fangio said on Monday. "I think that applies to football players, too—even somebody as talented as Von. You need to do more to maintain that level of play once you start getting into your 30s like he is and playing the position he is. There’s no doubt in mind that he can do it. He’s just got to do it himself.”
Prior to sustaining that serious ankle injury on the doorstep of the 2020 season-opener, Miller had gotten into the best physical shape of his entire career. New GM George Paton obviously has faith that Miller can return to full strength as the Broncos exercised his contract option amid rampant speculation that the team might part with the eight-time Pro Bowler.
Fangio sounds confident that Miller can fully tune up his body in time for the season-opener on September 12.
“I think he can, but it’s May 24," Fangio said. "He’s got two months to get in the great condition that he got in last year. I don’t think he’s in that type of condition at this moment, but he definitely can get back there. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
Miller appeared to be singing off the same hymn sheet as his head coach, insisting that he's back with the same mindset he cultivated last offseason. The former Super Bowl 50 MVP's boisterous confidence has returned to full power also and that bodes well for the Broncos 2021.
“I think the mindset that I created last year; I don’t think it was a one-year thing for me. I think it was a new version of myself," Miller said on Monday. "The same intensity and the same work ethic that I had last year, I just refocused and reloaded to do it again this year. Same stuff, different year.”
For now, Miller pays no mind to his ever-advancing age. So long as he continues to posterize his younger teammates, he's not worried about the vagaries of Father Time.
“Just refocus with that same fire and intensity and just grind it out,” Miller said. “I’m still running around here beating everybody’s [butt], so I feel like, 30-what? Until I see otherwise, I’m going to keep doing it and I’m going to keep going.”
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