CLEVELAND — Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller, who had promised this past week he would have “a great game” against the Cleveland Browns Thursday night, saw his night end with a left ankle injury.
A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that an X-ray on the ankle came back “clean.”
Miller collided with Broncos defensive end Dre’Mont Jones with just over a minute left in the first half of Thursday night’s 17-14 loss. Miller stayed down after the play, which was a pass from Browns quarterback Case Keenum to wide receiver Rashard Higgins for a two-yard loss on the other side of the formation.
Miller got to one knee after the play, but stayed down until the team’s medical staff had talked to him. He limped slowly to the Broncos’ sideline, was examined in the injury tent and went to the locker room. The Browns led 10-0 at the time and Miller had two tackles in the game.
He was eventually ruled out for the rest of the contest.
Miller missed all of the 2020 season after ankle surgery. It was not immediately known if Miller injured the same ankle Thursday night as he did in 2020’s training camp.
Miller had four sacks in the team’s first three games — all Broncos wins — and had a half-sack over the last three games going into Thursday night’s game, as all three had been Broncos losses.
Miller had given an impassioned speech to his teammates after the Week 6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders this past Sunday, urging each of them “to farm their own land” instead of worrying about what others could do better. To that end, Miller tried to take some pressure off his teammates by offering a guarantee of sorts, saying that if he had at least two sacks the Broncos would win.
The 32-year-old hasn’t played in 16 games in a season since 2018. He played in 15 in 2019 as he was named to his eighth Pro Bowl that year. When he missed the Week 13 game that season it was the first game he missed since the 2013 season finale when he tore his ACL.
The former Super Bowl 50 MVP is the Broncos’ longest-tenured player.