ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller injured a tendon in his ankle near the end of Tuesday’s practice and is expected to need surgery that likely will end his season, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Miller was sent for an MRI shortly after suffering the injury, and as of Tuesday night, the Broncos were still evaluating the results. Because of inclement weather, the Broncos practiced on an indoor field, and Miller, several team sources said, was injured as the practice drew to a close. Two team sources said the injury happened on “the last play” of practice.
Miller will visit noted foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this week for a second opinion about surgery, a source told ESPN. That appointment is expected to be on Thursday.
Miller has been one of the Broncos’ most durable players throughout his career, rarely missing practice unless he is held out for rest. Overall, he has missed just one game the past six seasons: Dec. 1, 2019, against the Los Angeles Chargers. Miller had a consecutive games streak of 95, with a total of 5,251 defensive snaps played in the streak, when he missed the game against the Chargers because of a knee injury.
Before that, Miller missed the 2013 regular-season finale after he tore his ACL in a Week 16 win over the Houston Texans. He missed the first six games of that season because of a suspension.
The Broncos started Tuesday’s practice at noon, and the workout was considered an extra practice for the team because Denver doesn’t open the season until Monday against the Tennessee Titans.
The eight-time Pro Bowl selection was poised for a big year, having started his workouts for the 2020 season just days after the 2019 season ended. Miller repeatedly has said what a disappointment 2019 was for him, as he finished with eight sacks, marking his first season since 2013 with fewer than 10, and the Broncos missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.
He added some weight in the offseason and maintained his trademark quickness, routinely showing in training camp practices that he was in top form. Miller had COVID-19 in April and was one of the first players in the league to publicly disclose that he had tested positive.
Broncos’ president of football operations/general manager John Elway said recently: “I think Von’s had a good camp. He looks like he’s ready to go.”
Broncos coach Vic Fangio said he saw “a hunger” in Miller that he had not previously seen.
“I just tried to change that, and I tried to work as hard as I possibly could,” Miller said of his offseason work. “I didn’t take any days off, I didn’t go on any vacations, and I didn’t do anything but work out, grind and reinvest all the time that I would usually spend on endorsements. I just reinvested that time back into myself.”
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