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Von Miller and older pass rushers

Former Bill says he's definitely playing in '25

Von Miller has been around for a while. He won a Super Bowl MVP with the Broncos (and Peyton Manning) 10 years ago, and was also with the Rams when they won a Super Bowl after the 2021 season. He's 36 years old.

But pass rushers have been known to be productive even at advanced ages, as Miller himself proves. Last year he averaged about half a sack a game for the Bills, with 6 sacks in 13 contests. There are typically a couple such productive older pass rushers each season.

Since 2000, there have been 39 players aged 35 or older to record 5-plus sacks in a season. Miller was one of three pass rushers to do it just last year, with Cameron Heyward and Calais Campbell also managing it. Table below compiled using the search tools at pro-football-reference.com, with 2024's 5-sack elder statesman in bold.

35-YEAR-OLD PASS RUSHERS, 2000-
 YearPlayerAgeSkTcklAstTotal
2000Trace Armstrong3516.5241034
2013John Abraham3511.531637
2017Julius Peppers3711.0211233
2017Terrell Suggs3511.0371249
2017Cameron Wake3510.5261036
2015Julius Peppers3510.5251237
2000Bruce Smith3710.048957
2007Michael Strahan369.0461157
2002Bruce Smith399.0371249
2024Cameron Heyward358.0353671
2015Dwight Freeney358.0819
2016Julius Peppers367.515823
2018Terrell Suggs367.025934
2011Jason Taylor377.013518
2009Jason Taylor357.033942
2002John Randle357.013215
2001Bill Romanowski357.0551469
2023Calais Campbell376.5322456
2019Terrell Suggs376.5241640
2018Lorenzo Alexander356.5551974
2009Leonard Little356.519423
2007Bryant Young356.533538
2024Von Miller356.013417
2018Cameron Wake366.0211536
2010James Farrior356.08029109
2022Calais Campbell365.5181836
2014James Harrison365.5291645
2003John Randle365.512517
2000Reggie White395.515116
2024Calais Campbell385.0351752
2018Julius Peppers385.014822
2018Kyle Williams355.0221335
2016James Harrison385.0391453
2016Robert Mathis355.015520
2015James Harrison375.0271340
2014Justin Smith355.0281543
2010Jason Taylor365.0251136
2003Bruce Smith405.017522
2001Bruce Smith385.0311142

The Bills, apparently, are not interested in bringing Miller back, even with the lure that he could flash his Super Bowl rings around the locker room to remind them what the mission is. But someone will, and I won't be betting against him delivering another 6-8 sacks and showing up on this list again.

--Andy Richardson

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