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.
Miller, 37, had nine sacks last year with the Washington Commanders. For his career, he has 138.5 sacks, the most among active players and tied for 13th all time with former teammate and Cowboys Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware.
The Cowboys will work Miller into practice slowly, giving him time to acclimate, but he has been working out in Frisco, Texas, to remain in shape.
"When it comes to playing football and getting sacks, I could still roll out of bed to do that," Miller said. "It's some things that pass rushers do that take a lot of athletic ability and it's some things that's all mental and intelligence too, just knowing where I fit on the pass rush, who I'm working with, time of the game, quarter, what offensive coordinator I'm going against, tendencies from offensive linemen ... Am I going to go out here and just beat somebody to death for 60 plays a game? Probably not, but it's still in there. It's still in there and I can still win a lot of these reps, especially when it's crunch time."
Miller is unsure what number he will wear. He has made an offer of lifetime chicken to fullback Hunter Luepke, who has worn No. 40 since 2023, since he owns a chicken farm. He ruled out No. 58 because that was his Broncos number. No. 24 is taken by safety Malik Hooker. He won't wear No. 94 out of respect for Ware.
"Hunter, we already started off on a great foot. I'm a team guy," Miller said. "Whatever it takes to get it done, I'm sure we can figure something out. Even if it doesn't work out, that's just how it's supposed to be. I'm not going to get caught up in the number ... Whether it does [work out] or not, I'm here to win games. I'm here to win a Super Bowl."
About a month ago, Miller ran into Dak Prescott in Las Vegas, and he struck up a conversation.
"I'm like, 'Hey man, this is about time, Dak. It's about time. You got to break through one of these years. I think this year you'll be able to do it. You got everybody to do it,'" Miller said. "And I didn't have any inkling on being a Dallas Cowboy. That just happened naturally. And then the Cowboys reached out and I was just like, 'Bro, this is a sign. This is a sign for me.' We worked on it, talked to some other teams. But ultimately my love for the Dallas Cowboys, my chicken farm is here, my family's here. Just about being a Dallas Cowboy and wearing that star was beneficial to me and my family and ultimately was what made the decision for me."