Von Miller, Superbowl 50 MVP, Will Cash In Thanks To Both Brawn And Brains
Von Miller, linebacker on the Super Bowl 50-winning Denver Broncos, played a fantastic game last night in the 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers and was named MVP. That, in conjunction with Miller’s rapidly developing maturity and desirability as a teammate, makes him the NFL’s hottest defensive player – and, therefore, its most expensive.
But before we talk about the other stuff, let’s revisit the magic Von showed us in Santa Clara last night.
Miller set the tone for his awesome performance in the first quarter, when Miller hit Carolina quarterback Cam Newton with a huge strip sack that resulted in a loose ball. The ball proceeded to roll into the endzone and be recovered by the Broncos for Denver’s first touchdown of the night. After that, the score was 10-0 in Denver’s favor, and Carolina never recovered.
“That play showed the speed, power and swagger that epitomized the Denver Broncos defense all season,” comments a USA Today article.
Von even pulled off another strip sack against Newton in the fourth quarter, which led to another seven points for Denver. Those seven points would prove to be unnecessary since Denver was already leading 14-10 and the Panthers would not score again in the game, but there’s nothing wrong with piling a few insurance points on top of a lead, is there?
But, say NFL Insiders, Miller’s spectacular gametime performance is not the only reason teams are so optimistic about his future in the NFL. Insider Ian Rapoport recently said why in an interview with the NFL Network.
Von, “the former most-fined player on the Broncos as a rookie, has come a long way. He has increased maturity and I am told wants to be the highest paid defensive player in football.”
Rapoport also took to Twitter to sing Miller’s praises.
As a rookie, Von Miller was fined by #Broncos more than anyone else. His maturity, thanks to hiring a life coach, is stunning. He'll cash in
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 7, 2016
CBS Sports also reported on Miller’s newfound mature outlook.
“Without his significant off-field work – cutting ties with bad influences, hiring a full-time life coach, refocusing on time management and nutrition – none of the riches that await him now would be possible,” reads one article.
Scouts and reporters fully acknowledge Miller’s greatness; the aforementioned USA Today piece is entitled “Von Miller Announces Himself As Next Huge Star With MVP Performance” and a 247 Sports headline declares that “Broncos’ Von Miller Could Be The NFL’s Highest-Paid Defensive Player.”
The latter headline is the more pressing one, as Von Miller’s contract with the Broncos is up this year and he will have to work out a new deal.
“It’s no secret that Von Miller will cash in with an extremely lucrative contract in the near future,” the article reads.
The NFL Network‘s Rand Getlin also commented on Miller’s financial situation.
“When you talk to folks about Von Miller, you can fully expect that this guy is going to vie for the highest-paid defensive player contract in the history of the NFL. So look for this guy to get a contract at the end of the year in excess of $60 million guaranteed or around there.”
Miller’s new price tag is steep, but the Denver Broncos are determined to resign him. They have even used their franchise tag on him, the NFL Network reports, which shows they are really serious about resigning him, no matter the cost.
“So bottom line: this guy’s going to get paid,” said Getlin, “and he deserves every dollar.”
Von Miller’s future is looking bright, especially now that he can add “Super Bowl 50 MVP” to his resumé.
[Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images]
