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
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Von is seen here with his mother Gloria Miller after the Broncos Super Bowl victory in 2016 Von’s mom has been very supportive of his football career A Star in the Making His mother finally gave in on one condition Von’s father could never find out Operation Top Secret had begun Von could not keep his shoulder pads in the house Gloria would drive him to and from practice He would get undressed in the car and keep his pads in the back seat under a blanket She would wash his jersey in the garage late at night Von helped his youth team go undefeated He played every position The battles on the gridiron were rough Sometimes he would return home with bruises His father would ask him where he had been Von would reply that he got hurt playing baseball Dad was suspicious But neither Von nor his mother would reveal the truth The young boy wanted to be honest He longed to talk to QUICK FACT Miller has suffered from asthma since childhood His mother used to give him treatments during his youth football games 9
