Career Timeline of Von Miller: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Von Miller built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Von Miller is a professional American football linebacker. He played college football at Texas A&M, earning All-American honors and winning the Butkus Award in 2010. The Denver Broncos selected him as the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Miller has achieved recognition as a seven-time All-Pro and an eight-time Pro Bowl selection throughout his NFL career.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1992: Highest Draft Pick

In 1992, Quentin Coryatt was selected second overall.

2000: Highest Selected Linebacker Since LaVar Arrington

In 2000, LaVar Arrington was drafted to the Washington Redskins as the number two pick.

2008: Played weakside linebacker

In 2008, Von Miller played as a weakside linebacker under Joe Kines's 4-3 defense. He made 44 tackles and led the team with 3.5 sacks but was primarily focused on pass coverage.

2009: Breakout Season

In 2009, Von Miller had a breakout season as a junior for the Aggies, leading the nation in sacks with 17 and ranking fourth in tackles for loss with 21. He earned first-team All Big-12 and All-American honors.

2010: Projected as Second-Round Pick

In 2010, Von Miller was projected to be a second-round pick in the NFL draft had he passed on his senior season.

2010: Butkus Award and All-American Honors

In 2010, Von Miller won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker and received first-team All-American honors, playing as a 3-4 outside linebacker despite an early-season ankle sprain.

2010: Butkus Award

In 2010, playing college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, Von Miller earned consensus All-American honors and won the Butkus Award.

2010: Played for Texas A&M

Von Miller played for the Texas A&M Aggies football team until 2010.

March 2011: Impressive Performance at NFL Combine and Pro Day

In March 2011, Von Miller excelled at the NFL Combine, setting a record in the 60-yard shuttle. He further impressed at the Texas A&M Pro Day by running a 4.49-second 40-yard dash.

July 28, 2011: Signed Rookie Contract with Broncos

On July 28, 2011, Von Miller officially signed his rookie contract with the Denver Broncos and chose to wear number 58 to honor Derrick Thomas.

September 12, 2011: Forced Fumble in First Career Play

On September 12, 2011, Von Miller made an immediate impact in his NFL debut by forcing a fumble against the Oakland Raiders on his first career play from scrimmage.

September 18, 2011: First Career Sack

On September 18, 2011, Von Miller recorded his first career sack against Andy Dalton during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

2011: More Quarterback Hurries

In 2011, Von Miller had less quarterback hurries than he did in the first nine games of his second season.

2011: Drafted into the NFL

In 2011, Von Miller was selected by the Denver Broncos as the second overall pick in the NFL draft, marking the start of his professional career.

2012: Partnership with Ubisoft for Sack Celebration

In 2012, Von Miller partnered with Ubisoft, the creators of "The Hip Hop Dance Experience", to create the "DeSoto Shuffle" sack celebration dance, with Ubisoft donating to Von's Vision for each performance during games.

2012: Pro Bowl Selection and Defensive Rookie of the Year

In 2012, Von Miller was selected to the Pro Bowl and named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording 11.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, and 29 quarterback hurries.

October 20, 2013: Eligible to Return from Suspension

On October 20, 2013, Von Miller became eligible to play again after serving his six-game suspension, marking his return against the Indianapolis Colts.

December 2013: Previous knee injury

Nine years before December 1, 2022, Von Miller suffered the same ACL knee injury while he was playing for the Denver Broncos in December 2013.

2014: AFC Defensive Player of the Month

In 2014, Von Miller earned AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October after recovering from his ACL injury and returning for his fourth season.

September 17, 2015: Third-Fastest to 50 Career Sacks

On September 17, 2015, Von Miller became the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks, achieving the milestone in 58 games.

2015: Super Bowl MVP

At the conclusion of the 2015 NFL season, Von Miller was named the Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl 50, recognizing his outstanding performance in the championship game.

March 1, 2016: Broncos Placed Franchise Tag

On March 1, 2016, the Broncos placed the exclusive franchise tag on Von Miller.

2018: Recorded 100th career sack

In 2018, Von Miller recorded his 100th career sack, including postseason sacks, making him the fifth-fastest player in NFL history to achieve this milestone.

2018: Strong Performance in 2018 Season

In 2018, during the Broncos' season opener, Von Miller recorded three sacks and seven total tackles. He also earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Chargers.

2019: Selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl and Ranked in NFL Top 100

In 2019, Von Miller was selected to the Pro Bowl for the seventh time in his career as a starting outside linebacker. He was also ranked 10th by his peers in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.

September 8, 2020: Suffered Season-Ending Ankle Injury

On September 8, 2020, during practice, Von Miller suffered a significant ankle injury, later diagnosed as a dislocated peroneal tendon, which led to him being placed on injured reserve and missing the rest of the season.

2020: Selected to the 2020 Pro Bowl and Named to Hall of Fame All-Decade Team

In 2020, Von Miller was selected to his eighth Pro Bowl as a starting outside linebacker and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team for the 2010s. He was also ranked 26th in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

March 2021: Broncos Exercised Option in Miller's Contract

In March 2021, the Broncos exercised the 2021 year option in Von Miller's contract, guaranteeing $7 million of his $17.5 million base salary for the final year of the contract.

October 21, 2021: Final Game as a Bronco Due to Ankle Sprain

On October 21, 2021, Von Miller sprained his ankle during a game against the Cleveland Browns. This game ended up being his last as a Bronco.

November 1, 2021: Traded to the Los Angeles Rams

On November 1, 2021, Von Miller was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for second and third-round draft picks in the 2022 NFL draft, marking the end of his tenure with the Denver Broncos.

2021: Departure from the Broncos

As of his departure from the team in 2021, Von Miller held five Broncos franchise records for sacks.

2021: Traded to the Los Angeles Rams

In 2021, Von Miller was traded to the Los Angeles Rams and subsequently won Super Bowl LVI as a member of the team.

January 30, 2022: Won on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune for Von's Vision

On January 30, 2022, Von Miller won the minimum $30,000 for his selected charity, Von's Vision, on a Celebrity Wheel of Fortune episode.

March 16, 2022: Signed with the Buffalo Bills

On March 16, 2022, Von Miller signed a six-year, $120 million deal with the Buffalo Bills.

December 1, 2022: Placed on Injured Reserve

On December 1, 2022, Von Miller was placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury during a Thanksgiving Day game.

2022: Joins Buffalo Bills

In 2022, Von Miller began playing with the Buffalo Bills.

2022: Ranked in NFL Top 100

In 2022, Von Miller was ranked 93rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list, following his performance in the 2021 season.

2022: Draft picks traded to Denver Broncos

Von Miller was traded to the Los Angeles Rams on November 1, 2021, in exchange for second and third-round draft picks in the 2022 NFL draft.

October 7, 2023: Activated from Reserve/PUP List

On October 7, 2023, Von Miller was activated from the reserve/PUP list to play for the Buffalo Bills.

2024: Finished with Six Sacks

In the 2024 season, Von Miller finished with six sacks for the Buffalo Bills.

2024: Plays with the Buffalo Bills

Von Miller was with the Buffalo Bills in 2024.

March 9, 2025: Released by Buffalo Bills

On March 9, 2025, Von Miller was released by the Buffalo Bills.

July 21, 2025: Signed with Washington Commanders

On July 21, 2025, Von Miller signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders worth $6.1 million, with up to $10.5 million in incentives. He chose to wear jersey number 24 to honor Kobe Bryant and Champ Bailey.