Miller has ACL tear; out for remainder of 2022 season

Miller had exploratory surgery in which an ACL tear was revealed; the ACL has been repaired, but he’ll miss the rest of this season

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters on Wednesday morning that star edge rusher Von Miller, did, in fact, tear his ACL on Thanksgiving Day in a win over the Detroit Lions, and after having it surgically repaired, will now miss the remainder of the 2022 season.

ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg reports that Miller had scheduled exploratory surgery recently, and that his ACL tear was only discovered during that procedure. That changed Buffalo’s plans for Miller, after having placed him on Injured Reserve a week ago in order to rest up his initially discovered lateral meniscus tear in the hope of having him back on the field for a playoff run.

Miller initially believed, in the immediate aftermath of the November 24 injury, that he’d be able to take one game off, let the swelling subside, and then brace up and return for this weekend’s game against the New York Jets. Today’s news marks a two-week window in which Miller went from Buffalo’s most important defensive player on a team with Super Bowl aspirations, to out for a game, to out for a month, to out for the year.

This marks the second consecutive Thanksgiving that the Bills have lost a key defender for the season to an ACL tear, as cornerback Tre’Davious White was lost to that injury in November 2021 in a win over the New Orleans Saints. He only returned to the field of play two weeks ago, and still isn’t playing an every-down role.

With Miller now sidelined, Buffalo’s edge-rushing reps will fall to the quartet of Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Boogie Basham, and Shaq Lawson. An increased level of importance is now placed on defensive tackle Ed Oliver, as well; Oliver has been Buffalo’s most dominant interior presence this season, and will likely be the player that opponents key on in Miller’s absence.