OXNARD, Calif. — Shortly after officially signing with the Dallas Cowboys, veteran linebacker Von Miller spoke to reporters about his decision to come home at his introductory press conference Tuesday.
The one-year deal earns Miller a base salary of $5.5 million, which could balloon to $7.5 million with incentives.
“It’s really cool,” Miller said of playing for his hometown team. “It’s like that movie Inception, like a dream within a dream. You know, I always wanted to play in the National Football League and then you play for the Dallas Cowboys.”
That wasn’t the only movie reference that Miller pulled out on Tuesday, using Inside Out as an example to explain his first memory of football.
“Have you seen that movie Inside Out? Like with the emotions and they had like anxiety and sadness. And they had those core memories in that movie, too,” Miller said. “One of my core memories was sitting in the living room, and I heard my dad scream in the bedroom and I run back there. I had to be like four or five. I run back there and my dad is screaming with joy watching TV.
“I just remember the star. And one of my core memories was like, ‘Man, I wanna make my dad scream like that one day’, and that’s where I fell in love with football.”
Von Miller’s Dallas Cowboys Connection Started Early
Born in the suburbs of Dallas, Miller played football for DeSoto High School, where he was a four-star recruit. Fielding offers from Florida, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas Tech (among others), Miller chose to continue his career at Texas A&M, where he honed in on his ability as a teammate.
“It really blossomed when I went to Texas A&M,” Miller said. “Just really learning the guys. We weren’t a very good team at first. Coach (Mike) Sherman came in and installed some things with that team that kind of took root with me. I was the first guy in the locker room. I was the last to leave. I controlled the aux cord; I DJed in the locker room. I told jokes. I told stories.”
As a senior with the Aggies, Miller was a first-team All-American and winner of the Butkus Award for the nation’s top linebacker. Then, he was selected by the Denver Broncos with the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
“My love for my teammates started at Texas A&M and then it went over to the Denver Broncos,” Miller said. “And you just build on that, especially when you get other great teammates like Peyton Manning, DeMarcus Ware, Champ Bailey. You just watch those guys and you watch how they handle the perception of everybody else looking at them and they’re able to use that to get more out of everybody else.”
While with Denver, Miller played in eight Pro Bowls, earned three First Team All-Pro selections and was named Super Bowl MVP in 2015.
He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, where he finished the season and won a second Super Bowl before departing for the Buffalo Bills in free agency. After three seasons in Buffalo, Miller played for the Washington Commanders in 2025, where he started three games.
Von Miller Still Believes He Can Change A Defense
Now, entering his sixteenth year in the NFL at 37 years old, Miller is removed from his glory days but still confident in what he can bring to the Cowboys.
“I can still play football, but I can still contribute in other ways,” Miller said. “On my Super Bowl teams, it’s not just one person that gets it done. I think you can say what you want to say about my play on the field and what I got left. When it comes to being a great teammate, like if it was a Hall of Fame for that, I’m going to the Hall of Fame first ballot, to be honest. I’m probably the best teammate that ever played in the National Football League, and I say that with all confidence in the world.”
Miller particularly values his role as a teammate and locker-room leader, noting that he wants to leave an impact on the younger players he’s sharing the field with.
“Whenever somebody else goes into the Hall of Fame, they talk about my time with them and how I helped their progress and helped them get to the Hall of Fame,” Miller said. “Selfishly, that’s what I want out of it as well. I love being a great teammate; I love getting to know my guys.”
Family Ultimately Brought Von Miller Home
What Miller’s decision ultimately came down to, though, was family and the opportunity to return home.
“My chicken farm is here, my family’s here,” Miller said. “Just by being a Dallas Cowboy and wearing the star was beneficial to me and my family, and that’s what ultimately made the decision for me.”
