Von Miller suspended for violating NFL's personal conduct policy: What we know
ORCHARD PARK - Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller has been suspended four games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Although a reason was not given, this in all likelihood stems from the domestic violence allegations that were brought by his girlfriend, who is also the mother of his two sons, back in November in Dallas. Ultimately, charges were not filed in that case after he turned himself in and was interviewed by police, but there was always the possibility that the NFL would mete out a punishment.
Dallas police issued an arrest warrant for Miller after he was accused of assaulting the woman, and the charge filed was for a third-degree felony. He turned himself into the police and was released on a $5,000 bond.
Shortly thereafter, the woman told a Dallas TV station that, “We’re fine. Things were blown way out of context. This is actually outrageous! No one assaulted anyone. This is insane. And sad.”
When Miller was asked about the incident, he denied wrongdoing at the time.
General manager Brandon Beane addressed the situation several days after, and when he was asked whether he thought NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would put Miller on the commissioner’s exempt list, meaning he would be ineligible to play until the league’s investigation into the matter is complete, Beane said, “We don’t expect anything based on our conversations. Anytime it’s an ongoing investigation, if something was uncovered, the commissioner does have that (option) at any point. If he feels there was something that, hey, this doesn’t look good or something like that, they could, but with our knowledge of what we have today, we don’t expect that.”
Miller never was placed on the list.
On the first day of training camp at St. John Fisher University, Miller was asked about the case and he said, “No charges were ever filed and the case is closed. I’m able to just move forward and focus solely on football. Life sometimes, but my life is all about football right now and my kids and being the best teammate and best football player I can possibly be. I’m happy to be here with the Buffalo Bills. I’m happy to just be in this moment, living my life and do the things that we do normally.”
Miller will now miss games against the Texans, Jets, Titans and Seahawks and can return to play on Nov. 3 against the Dolphins.
Who will replace Von Miller for the Buffalo Bills?
Earlier on Tuesday, the Bills signed defensive tackle Zion Logue off the Atlanta Falcons practice squad, and in order to do so, a roster spot had to be opened on the active 53-man squad. There was some question as to who the Bills would release, but now it becomes clear that Logue will take Miller’s spot.
Miller, coming off an awful 2023 season when he was trying to come back from ACL surgery, was off to a solid start in 2024 with three sacks, 13 pressures, and two tackles.
He recorded a sack in each of the first three games before being shut out Sunday night Baltimore. However, in that game he played only nine defensive snaps because the Ravens ran the ball so much, and the 35-year-old Miller is primarily a pass rusher at this point in his career.
The Bills are positioned well to absorb this news because they are five-deep at the position with starters Greg Rousseau and AJ Epenesa, plus backups Casey Toohill and Dawuane Smoot. Smoot missed the first two games with an injury but has played in the last two, and he will likely slot into Miller’s spot with Toohill likely getting an increased snap count as well.
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, and he has written numerous books about the history of the team. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana. https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Von Miller suspended for violating NFL's personal conduct policy
