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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills pass-rusher Von Miller is out for the remainder of the season after having surgery for an ACL injury, coach Sean McDermott announced Wednesday.
Miller underwent exploratory surgery in Texas on Tuesday, and an ACL injury was found in his right knee. The pass-rusher was placed on injured reserve last Thursday before the team’s game against the New England Patriots. The hope was that he would be able to return this season. Miller had even said on his podcast last week that he hoped to return before this Sunday’s game against the New York Jets.
The Bills (9-3) currently have the top seed in the AFC with three games still to come against the AFC East.
“Unfortunate situation, for Von, obviously, and our team. Care for him, obviously, like we would any player,” McDermott said. “We know how much this means to him in terms of playing and being with the team, so we look forward to getting him back, obviously off the field for the rest of the season and his leadership, and we’re certainly thinking about him as he recovers here.”
The Super Bowl 50 MVP suffered the injury on Thanksgiving at the end of the first half of the team’s win against the Detroit Lions.
Miller, who signed with the Bills in the offseason on a six-year, $120 million contract, started every game this season except this past Thursday’s and leads the team with eight sacks and 38 pressures.
“Listen, you care about every player, right, and it affects you when guys go down,” McDermott said. “It’s the business we’re in, it’s a physical game, and so we care for everyone. Certainly, we care for Von in this case, and we’ll miss him. But as I said last week when he was out, it’s a time and an opportunity for other guys to step up.”
In the team’s first full game without Miller against the Patriots, the Bills defense pressured quarterback Mac Jones on 39.5% of his dropbacks — the second-highest of rate of his career.