In a game that featured strong game plans on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, a Buffalo Bills pass-rusher accomplished a personal feat.
Von Miller recorded a sack in the second quarter of Buffalo’s dominant Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins, his second quarterback takedown of the young season after going nearly two calendar years without recording a sack. This was uncharacteristic, but not necessarily unexpected of the NFL’s active-all-time sack leader, as he tore his ACL midway through the 2022 campaign; he did not return until Week 5 of the subsequent season and looked like a shadow of his former self, totaling three tackles and zero sacks in the 2023 campaign.
There was much talk from the organization regarding Miller’s regained form throughout the offseason, with those at several levels praising his play at both the end of the 2023 campaign and throughout the summer. He’s carried this summer prowess into the new season, notching two sacks through two games.
Related: Bills DE Von Miller reflects on his first sack in nearly two years
The takedowns haven’t been necessarily picturesque, but they count just the same on the stat sheet. Miller’s Thursday sack allowed him to slightly ascend in the NFL record book, as he’s now tied with long-time Indianapolis Colts defender Dwight Freeney for 18th on the NFL’s all-time sack list with 125.5.
Von Miller with the sack, tying HOF DE Dwight Freeney (125.5) for the #18 spot on the NFL’s all-time sack list.
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) September 13, 2024
Miller’s status as a future Hall-of-Famer has long been unanimous, and the fact that he’s now tied with a Pro Football Hall of Fame member in career sacks adds a bit of credence to this idea. Given his current pace, the pass-rusher could realistically surpass Derrick Thomas (126.5), Rickey Jackson (128), Leslie O’Neal (132.5), Lawrence Taylor (132.5), and John Abraham (133.5) in career sacks this season, which would put him at No. 13 on the all-time sack list.
The Buffalo faithful is well aware, but the NFL’s all-time sack leader is longtime Bills defender Bruce Smith, who recorded 200 sacks throughout his near-20-year career. It’s difficult to imagine Miller, who is now 35, ultimately getting anywhere close to this total, but his renewed form has provided a welcomed boost to Buffalo’s pass rush; him earning individual accolades along the way is just a bonus.
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