Von Miller's knee injury news went from bad to the worst this week after Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced Wednesday that an exploratory operation revealed Miller had torn his ACL, ending his 2022 season.
Miller was undergoing exploratory surgery on his injured knee when doctors found he'd suffered an ACL tear, requiring a repair, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. An earlier MRI and related imaging did not adequately show the injury, leading doctors to believe they only needed to address Miller's lateral meniscus and damaged cartilage.
Miller was initially believed to have avoided significant damage to his knee when he was injured in Buffalo's win over Detroit on Thanksgiving, and Miller even hoped to return in time to face the Jets in Week 14. Buffalo soon decided to give him a longer runway for return, placing him on injured reserve in order to prevent further aggravation and increase his chances of returning as healthy as possible for Buffalo's postseason run.
With a month off, Miller had time to undergo surgery to address the meniscus and cartilage issues. Unfortunately, it ended up producing a season-ending operation.
"I'll be right back, man," Miller said in a video posted to Twitter on Wednesday. "Mentally, I couldn't be in a better spot, and I think that is the majority of it. Don't feel sorry for me. Don't say I hate it for you -- none of that stuff. (Because) I am good. I'm excited for the opportunity to show my teammates how tough I am. How hard I work, and how important that this means to me. I love you guys, and I appreciate you guys. All the love and respect. Don't blink, baby!"
Miller had lived up to the expectations this season set by his six-year, $120 million deal, recording eight sacks and providing a constant pass-rushing impact for the Bills in 2022. At 33 years old, Miller was still very much in his prime in his first season with Buffalo, and his departure will leave the Bills without their top pass-rusher.
Fortunately for Buffalo, the remaining rushers are effective. Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Ed Oliver and Shaq Lawson fill out a group that should be able to consistently pressure opposing passers.
Miller, though, will not have a chance to pursue a second-straight Super Bowl title. He'll spend the rest of the 2022 season supporting his teammates from afar.
