How soon is on schedule?
Buffalo Bills edge rusher suffered a knee injury against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day of 2022. Initially believed to be a minor issue that would be dealt with on a week-to-week basis, Miller ended up having surgery last December to repair a partially torn ACL in the same knee he suffered an ACL tear in during the 2013 NFL season.
A previous update on Miller’s recovery timetable placed his return to the field in the range of six to nine months from surgery on December 7, 2022. That time frame appears intact to this point, and keeps Miller on schedule to return for preseason action this coming August at the latest. Ever the elite competitor, Miller has expressed a desire to return as soon as possible.
Bills Beat and Sideline Reporter Sal Capaccio tweeted comments made by head coach Sean McDermott suggesting Miller’s return to play remains on schedule — which likely means somewhere in that window of six to nine month.
Sean McDermott on Von Miller: “from the reports I’m getting he’s on schedule.”
— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) March 27, 2023
While no further details were shared, this remains positive news for Miller and the team’s defense. Miller originally thought he had sustained lateral meniscus damage, and proclaimed he’d be back for the Bills 2022 Week 11 game against the New York Jets — 17 days removed from the injury in Detroit. However, the team felt it was best to place Miller on Injured Reserve to allow his injury the proper rest to heal.
Miller, who just turned 34 this past Sunday, underwent exploratory surgery to re-position the meniscus and clean up cartilage last December in Dallas, TX. That’s when doctors found ACL damage that wasn’t visible from the MRI or scans done in prior weeks, thus ending his season.
In 11 games with the Bills last season, Miller played 450 defensive snaps and made 21 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 12 quarterback hits, two pass knockdowns, and one forced fumble.
While there is a fair amount of wiggle room in the current return-to-play timeline, Bills Mafia should hope to see Von Miller back with his teammates on the field as soon as June, and no later than August if his recovery progression continues as expected.