Broncos LB Von Miller
Conference Call
October 11, 2017
Q: Have you talked to WR Odell Beckham? How disappointed are you to see your friend injured?
A: I talked to him and it’s just a tough situation. Every elite player in the National Football League has to overcome some type of injury once or twice in their career. The type of person that Odell is – I know him personally, so I know that he’s going to come back even stronger and better.
Q: When you spend time with Odell in the offseason, do you talk about the lofty goals you’re trying to achieve and how do you push each other?
A: I mean, I think when you hang around guys like that and you all have the same vision, the same outlook on life, you know, it’s a different language. You’re able to understand each other. It’s tough for people to understand what I’m talking about like Odell does. The type of goals that he has. The type of mindset that he has. It’s right along with the type of stuff that I have going on. I figure that’s why we’re such good friends because we both see it from the same view. We both see it from the same angle. We had this game circled a long time ago. This was a game that I was looking forward to playing in. I wanted to play. This is my first time playing against O (Odell) and the Giants, so I was looking forward to it. This was the game. That’s how it is when life happens.
Q: When you look at the Giants offensive line, what do you see and what do you see specifically with T Ereck Flowers?
A: I mean, it’s just the National Football League. At any given time, at any given time, the light could come on and they could be dominant. Every single team has dominant players on the offense, defensive line and whatever it may be. Every single team has players that can win the game for them. So, Giants – Giants is no different, they have Eli Manning – one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League. Has been there before and we’re definitely going to have our hands full. They’ve been struggling a little bit if that’s what you may call it, but you can’t really pay attention to that. You have to take it one game at a time. You have to be desperate for the win, week in and week out.
Q: Is there a part of you that is licking your chops when you see a guy like Flowers struggling?
A: No. I lick my chops every week. I lick my chops every week. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. That’s my job. It doesn’t matter who they line up out there. I’m coming with it. So, I lick my chops every week regardless of the opponent.
Q: Any chance you take this team lightly?
A: No. Never. They have the same defense that they had last year. Landon Collins, Snacks (Damon Harrison), Olivier (Vernon), JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul). They still have Eli Manning. That’s all you really need to win. They have a dominant defense. Eli Manning can bust the game open at any given time. So, we have another opponent coming here. We have to take it one play at a time and just stick to the script. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. We have to – it’s about us. We have to take it one game at a time.
Q: Talk about star players from a contract standpoint when it comes to holding out and getting new deals, since Beckham got hurt in the midst of wanting a new contract.
A: I mean, that’s the league that we’re playing in. It’s just how it is in the National Football League. Basketball is different. Soccer is different. It’s just how it is in the National Football League. It can be worked out on both sides. Odell (Beckham) should be the highest paid player ever in the National Football League. He should be the highest paid player ever, regardless of position. That’s just the type of player he is. It doesn’t matter if it’s quarterback, offensive line, receiver. It doesn’t matter. The type of impact that he has on the globe, the type of viewers that he brings – just him as a player. That makes up for him not playing quarterback. So, he’s a once in a lifetime player. Definitely deserving. There’s no reason that he won’t come back and be the same type of player. That’s just one of the guys that you invest in. When you get a guy like that, that’s the guy that you invest in, that you want to keep around for his whole career.
Q: What did you learn about DE Olivier Vernon at the camp that you ran with all the defensive ends?
A: I mean, everything that we learned – it was already stuff that I knew. I knew that he was an elite defensive end in the National Football League. That’s why I invited him to the pass rush summit. We all learn something from each other. His game is unique to him, so there’s only one player playing like Olivier. It was good to have elite guys there where we could all sit around and share knowledge. It was dope.
