Von Miller Backtracks on Despairing Post-Chiefs Meltdown

Von Miller wears his heart on his sleeve at times. After back-to-back-to-back losing seasons were ensured for the Denver Broncos via their crushing 23-3 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, the team's all-time leader in sacks snapped.

Miller was at the end of his rope. Seemingly out of gas and fresh out of hope. After all the front-office machinations of three offseasons, the Broncos were outscored by the Chiefs 53-9 in 2019. The gap between the Chiefs and the Broncos, to Miller, seemed like an unbridgeable chasm.

“We’ve tried everything," Miller said last Sunday. "We’ve tried everything on and off the football field. We’ve tried all different coaches, all different players. I really don’t know what’s going on. If I did, I would be the first to execute whatever plan it is to make everything better. I’m just at a loss for words.”

Miller's near-despondency and raw emotional frankness led some to wonder whether the episode was the Pro Bowler's way of saying he wants out of Denver. However, four days removed from the immediate disappointment of that game, Miller addressed his post-game remarks from a more measured perspective and reassured fans of where his heart lies.

"That's how I was feeling after the game," Miller said on Thursday. "Everything that I said—that's how I was feeling. I think the way it was portrayed after that was different. I didn't want to send the message of me not being here, or me not wanting to be part of the solution. It was just, I had a feeling, there were a couple of things I had on my chest and you mix that in with a tough loss to the Chiefs and it was a tough day. But everything I said, I said it. I'm always thinking about my message and how it comes across to the fans and stuff. Everything that I said, I meant it but I didn't want it to come across as me not wanting to be here or me not wanting to be a part of the solution."

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I've maintained since Miller's mini-meltdown that I'd be in a holding pattern, as far as drawing conclusions about his future in Denver, until I heard him speak on Thursday. Just as expected, Miller's tune was significantly more optimistic and he made it clear that he's locked in with the Broncos and not looking to force his way out of town in the foreseeable future.

"I said before the week, I'm tied to the Denver Broncos," Miller said Thursday. "It's pro sports. We all know things can change here and there. But for me and my mindset, it's a marriage that I'm not looking for to divorcing any time soon."

Miller views his relationship with the Broncos kind of in the same way as a dutiful but unhappy husband approaches a 10-year marriage that has produced perhaps children and assets. Von might be unhappy in the moment, but he's experienced some great times during his marriage with the Broncos and that's keeping hope alive for him during this dark period that light can be found at the end of the tunnel.

There are reasons to be optimistic that 2020 will be a different animal for the Broncos. That change is on the horizon. Miller spoke to why he's excited and optimistic about the future and why this time it feels different.

"You've just got to trash this season," Miller said. "Going into next season, we've got a lot of great players. We've got Drew Lock who's going to be in his second year. Courtland Sutton, year three. We're going to have a healthy Ja'Wuan James next year. We've got the Colorado Kid [Phillip Lindsay]. We'll have [Bradley] Chubb back. Just focus on that. Whenever that time comes, we've got a bright future here. We've lost a couple of games but we were close in a lot of games, too, and we're not too far off from where we need to be. I know after the game on Sunday, it seemed like we were just so far but in all reality, we're not too far away from where we need to be to be back in playoff contention."

At the end of the day, Von has been to the top of the mountain with the Broncos and has seen that view from on-high firsthand.

"I was born in that age, so that's what I know," Miller said.

That makes the depredations of the past four seasons all the more crushing. However, the takeaway for fans today should be that Miller is absolutely unhappy and disappointed with this season with the Broncos sitting at 5-9 but (and it's a big but) he wants to be a part of the solution to turn it all around. He's not looking to bail.

The other big takeaway is how Miller feels about the future. The biggest issue plaguing the Broncos during the post-Super Bowl 50 era has been the lack of a true franchise quarterback.

Lock still has a lot to prove but for the first time since Peyton Manning hung up his cleats, it feels like the Broncos have found a guy with those franchise traits and tools. All he needs now is time on task and the Broncos are giving it to him.

Give Lock an entire offseason to work on his craft as the unquestioned starter heading into 2020, and we could see a quantum leap in year two. Maybe not on par with Patrick Mahomes' second year, but perhaps more in line with the Jared Goffs and Carson Wentzes of the world.

The Broncos will have around $70 million in salary cap space and are projected to have as many as 12 draft picks. GM John Elway will be able to build the nest around Lock and around Miller and Chubb defensively.

That's what Miller is hanging onto right now. My advice to Broncos Country is to follow suit.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.

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