The Buffalo Bills placed veteran linebacker Von Miller on injured reserve Thursday, not long after he expressed hope he would be able to return ahead of a divisional game against the New York Jets in Week 14.
Miller said during his podcast, “The Voncast,” Wednesday he suffered “some lateral meniscus damage” during the Bills’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller is carted off the field during the first half of a game against the Detroit Lions, Nov. 24, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
“I do feel like I can play through that. Just going to wait a little bit — wait a little bit, let the swelling go down for about seven to 10 days. And hopefully right before the Jets game, I will be back.”
BILLS’ VON MILLER REVEALS DETAILS OF KNEE INJRY, TARGETS WEEK 14 RETURN DATE
But general manager Brandon Beane said in a pool report Thursday the decision to place Miller on injured reserve came after speaking with the team’s medical personnel.
“He’s been doing treatment and trying to rehab it,” Beane said. “We don’t want to rush him back, and he’s a competitor. That’s why we love him. That’s why he’s so great. The competitor in him — if he could wheel it out there tonight, he would do it.”
Von Miller of the Buffalo Bills during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium Sept. 25, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
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“We just think in talking to the medical people that the best decision right now is to give this time, and that gives him the best opportunity to help us down the stretch.”
The earliest Miller could return would be Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bills signed Miller to a six-year contract in free agency. Miller is the NFL’s active leader in sacks with 123½, and he leads the Bills with eight sacks.
Von Miller of the Buffalo Bills warms up for a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Oct. 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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“I signed up to be a Buffalo Bill for a long time, and I want to do my best for my teammates, and I want to do my best for this organization and the fans, and I want to put myself in a situation to be able to produce and be able to go out there and do what I do each and every week,” Miller said on his podcast.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
