INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Von Miller could not leave well enough alone Many athletes are satisfied simply to excel in their sports Their goal is to gain fame and fortune They are fine with having their lives revolve around their athletic pursuits But the Denver Broncos superstar linebacker is not among them He strives to be a well-rounded person Miller is fascinated with the world around him He seeks out new subjects to learn about He especially enjoys science He even runs a chicken farm Miller understands and cares about the needs of those who are less fortunate That empathy is especially true with children He gives of his time and money to help kids who are poor gain the gift of sight It is no wonder that he is one of the most popular players in the National Football League NFL Not that Miller allows anything to interfere with his game He is focused on the field as one of the most feared pass rushers in NFL history His speed and quickness frustrate blockers and allow him to take down 4
Introduction Von Miller plays the role of hero in Super Bowl 50 by stripping the ball from Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton 5
quarterbacks He has also proven he can rise to the occasion in the biggest games His performance in the 2016 Super Bowl was one of the greatest ever by a defensive player Miller has learned from the bumps on the road in life to become a better and more complete person His respect and love for his family have made him forever devoted to those who raised him His lifelong friendships also bring appreciation for his loyalty Such traits have already served Von Miller during his incredible football career And they will continue to benefit him well after he hangs up his spikes 6 VON MILLER ALL-PRO LINEBACKER
CHAPTER ONE A Star in the Making Baby boys in Texas are not destined to play football But that football crazed state certainly produces many superstars of the sport Little Von Miller wanted to be one of them Von Miller whose name in full is Vonnie B’Vsean Miller Jr was born on March 26 1989 He was raised in DeSoto a large suburb of Dallas Texas He yearned to participate in youth football But his father Von Miller Sr believed he was too skinny to absorb the collisions and hard tackling Fearing that Von would be injured his dad forbade him from joining the local league The boy refused to accept being sidelined He had never kept secrets from his father Neither had his mother Gloria But they were about to launch a plan that would make the best spies in the world proud It took some convincing Von pleaded with his mom to let him play He recalled his desperation in an article he wrote for the Players Tribune in 2016 I’ll make my bed every day I’ll mow the lawn he begged Mom just let me play football I’m ready 7
