ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Von Miller sat quietly alone at his locker Tuesday, looking at his cell phone, using his thumb to maneuver whatever it was on his screen.
Media hovered from distance, not wanting to disturb the man whose words following the Broncos’ 22-3 loss in a Kansas City snowstorm became the hot topic of the past two days.
9NEWS was too curious to let him sit in peace. Miller was told how his pensive, somber postgame comments about the overall state of the Broncos had created a stir.
“I didn’t mean for it to be like that,’’ Miller said.
Miller spoke unprompted – he stepped behind the visiting press conference podium in the bowels of Arrowhead Stadium and started speaking before the media could ask a question. And he talked not necessarily the singular loss to the Chiefs, but the declining, four-year state of the team.
This conjured up wonder if the Broncos’ star pass rusher was sending a more severe message.
Twice, he referred to his football mortality as a 30-year-old. Was he taking a shot at the team’s football leadership for its losing ways? Was this Miller’s cryptic way of saying he wanted to move on?
Miller said there wasn’t an ulterior motive. He was simply bummed like he’s rarely been before. He said his nine years with the Broncos was like a professional marriage. You know, until “do us part.”
“I’m tied here,’’ Miller said. “There’s nowhere else for me to go.”
The Broncos made Miller the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history in 2016 when, fresh off his Super Bowl 50 MVP performance, he received a six-year contract worth $114.5 million – an average of $19.083 million a year.
He has collected $78.5 million through the first four years that was all but fully guaranteed. The final two years of his contract have no guarantees. Miller is due $18 million in salary ($17.5 million) and workout bonus ($500,000) in each of the final two years on his contract.
Humble Harris
Few Broncos over the years have been as prideful as cornerback Chris Harris Jr. Pride has been a characteristic that has helped Harris become a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the most competitive cornerbacks in the NFL the past nine years.
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But after getting beat in man coverage by Chiefs’ speedster Tyreek Hill for a 43-yard touchdown in the snow Sunday, Harris spoke with honesty and humility about his performance this season.
“I just had to carry a lot of load. I’m supposed to be able to handle that,’’ Harris said Tuesday. “I’ve been able to handle it all along. Just the last couple games I haven’t played like myself.”
Harris does not expect to be named to the AFC’s Pro Bowl team when rosters are announced at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
“No, I don’t think I should make it this year,’’ he said. “I think it’s probably four guys that had great — better years than me. There are about three years that I probably didn’t make it that I should have made it, but I give those boys credit. They did their thing.’’
Holder promoted
Alijah Holder, an undrafted rookie from Stanford, has been promoted from the Broncos’ practice squad to their 53-man roster to replace the suspended Kareem Jackson. Holder was moved from cornerback to safety in training camp, then spent the first 15 weeks of the regular season on the practice squad.
The Broncos signed undrafted rookie safety P.J. Locke and Jay-Tee Tiuli to their practice squad. Both are undrafted rookies – Locke from Texas who spent time with the Steelers and Tiuli from Eastern Washington, who spent time with the Seahawks.
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