OXNARD, Calif. -- Von Miller's first football memories came when he was 5 years old, hearing his father scream in joy while watching the Dallas Cowboys. More than 30 years later, Miller is with his hometown team.
"The Cowboys have been interwoven with my career playing football and never thought that I had an opportunity," said Miller, who signed a one-year deal worth $5.5 million, up to $7.5 million. "I lobbied a long time, but for that really to come true, it's a dream within a dream for sure."
The ultimate dream now is ending the franchise's 30-year Super Bowl drought. Miller won Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. What would it mean for him to bring a Super Bowl to Dallas?
"I think that question, it answers itself: It's the Dallas Cowboys," Miller said. "I won the Super Bowl in Denver, and we had a million people out there. We win a Super Bowl with the Rams, it wasn't as much. The parade, we were stopping at red lights and stuff. We still won the Super Bowl and it's still exciting and still dope, but it's just a different feel with those two organizations. I was with the Buffalo Bills and if we ended up winning the Super Bowl, it would be a holiday in Orchard Park. It'd be a holiday in Buffalo. There'd be statues for everybody.
"That's just the type of organization that they have, the type of fans that they have. Dallas Cowboys fans are in that same type of stream. They're not the same. Bills Mafia, Cowboys Nation is totally different things, but the fans here are diehard fans. And if we're able to do that, if we're able to have a successful season and win the Super Bowl, it'd be a holiday in Dallas as well.
"People love the Dallas Cowboys. They either love them or hate them, but at the end of the day, they all root for the Dallas Cowboys. And for us to be able to win a Super Bowl, it'd be crazy in Dallas."
Miller comes to the Cowboys to be a part of the pass rush, not as the dominant player he was with the Broncos from 2011-21. Brian Schottenheimer said the Cowboys don't expect Miller to play 40 snaps a game, but his impact can be felt as a pass rusher, especially late in games.