A mere couple of days after Von Miller signed with the Dallas Cowboys, he saw another fellow veteran pass rusher come off the market in Za'Darius Smith heading to the Atlanta Falcons.
Funny enough, Smith's deal with Atlanta -- $6 million -- was actually going to pay him more than Miller's in Dallas -- a $5.5 million base value. At this stage in the offseason, veterans like the two of them likely have a few options, and Smith signing with the Falcons probably meant that was the most money a team offered him.
We could chalk it up to Miller wanting to end his career with a warm and fuzzy homecoming as the Dallas native he is. But, what if this is more than just a sweet story for Miller?
Let's be real. He had multiple options. But, he chose the Cowboys. What if it was for more than just a happy ending? What if Miller is also buying into some of the offseason hype from within the building?
Although they're "America's Team," the majority of Americans will still snicker at the idea of this season being any different for the Cowboys. The average fan may still crack a joke about Jerry Jones being in charge, so things will never change.
But, what if Von sees beyond what most of us see?
Von Miller must believe in the 2026 Dallas Cowboys (and America soon will, too)
Let's first start with his side of the ball. The Cowboys are a year removed from a coordinator with nothing more than completely empty promises of hustle, intensity, takeaways and playing smart -- Matt Eberflus's H.I.T.S. principle that he never came close to instilling in Dallas.
Eberflus couldn't motivate my 8-year-old daughter to sing and dance along to the Moana soundtrack, and she knows every word.
Fast forward just a single calendar year, and Christian Parker's impact on this side of the football has been evident. It's been real. It's been palpable.
Attention to detail, holding players accountable, real leadership -- these are all things being said about Parker from the players. These are all common sentiments being echoed time and time again over the past few months.
The entire feeling of this defense has dramatically changed, and to Jones' credit, the Cowboys have added several new faces to the unit. Will they be the best defense in football? That'd be quite a shock, but they certainly aren't going to be bottom of the barrell. That should be a guarantee at this point.
Miller can walk into any building and get that team 8.0 sacks in a season. Just tally them up right now.
But, he now gets an opportunity to work with and mentor first-round pick Malachi Lawrence. He gets to spend time with other rookies like Jaishawn Barham and LT Overton. He's going to watch one of the more rare talents like Caleb Downs blossom before his eyes, knowing that he'll have a legitimate playmaker backing him up in the secondary. He is joining a defensive group that has a plethora of new faces to go with their new coordinator.
Homecoming aside, this was a phenomenal opportunity for Miller.
On the offensive side, Miller doesn't need to be sold. We know Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George PIckens and company can be a top-5 offense with ease. That's a given. This team is going to score points. Miller doesn't need to worry even for a second.
That gives him such a freedom, such a fun challenge, on the defensive side. He's nearing the end of his career, but can still play at a high level. He's seen it all. He's done it all.
And now, he has the chance to end it at home, and with a team he genuinely must believe in.
It may be only a matter of time before America starts believing again, too.
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