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John Keim
ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders new edge rusher Von Miller has been related to two numbers all through his NFL profession: 58 and 40. He made these numbers well-known within the NFL due to his pass-rushing expertise.
Now, he needs to be related to a brand new quantity that others made well-known, together with Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
With the Nos. 58 and 40 occupied in Washington — by second-year gamers, linebacker Jordan Magee and security Tyler Owens, respectively, who may very well be key backups — Miller selected No. 24.
The one different quantity Miller had worn in his profession was No. 5 in junior excessive. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has that quantity.
Miller mentioned he didn’t “need to be that man to come back in right here” and demand one among his former NFL numbers.
“It isn’t that critical,” mentioned Miller, who signed with Washington on Monday. “I simply need to win video games.”
However he settled on 24 due to what sure folks meant to him.
It begins with Corey Borner, who suffered a spinal wire damage in a 2009 recreation for DeSoto Excessive College (Texas) and was paralyzed. Borner wore No. 24 at DeSoto, the place Miller had graduated from two years earlier. After Borner’s damage, Miller and one other DeSoto alum, Cyrus Grey, wore No. 24 in a single recreation for Texas A&M to honor Borner.
Miller mentioned two different gamers have been a part of his reasoning. Bryant, who wore 24 from 2006 till retiring in 2016 and whom Miller known as “the best 24 of all of them,” was one. His former Denver teammate Champ Bailey, who started his profession with Washington, additionally wore the quantity for his complete profession. Miller performed three seasons with Bailey.
“That quantity simply spoke to me in so many various methods,” Miller mentioned. “I simply determined to put on it.”