Von Miller and Tom Brady have had their fair share of encounters, and both have the ultimate respect for each other.
In his latest Players’ Tribune article, Miller said that Brady was the most difficult quarterback he’s ever faced in the NFL, and today Brady compared Miller to one of the greatest to ever do it.
“I think he’s pretty great every single play, every game,” Brady told the New England media, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. “I think he’s actually gotten better in all phases of the game, not just as a rusher but dropping into coverage, covering guys, playing the run. He’s a phenomenal player. I never played against Lawrence Taylor, but I watched a lot of Lawrence Taylor and they’ve got the same number, or two digits from one another, but they look like they can go kill the quarterback, so he’s done a great job of that.”
Taylor, a Hall of Famer, is arguably the greatest pass rusher in NFL history, which goes to show just how great Von Miller is to be compared to the 10-time Pro Bowler.
The NFL began keeping track of sacks in 1982, a year after LT came into the league, but in the six-year span between 1982 and 1987, Taylor totaled 73.5 sacks. Through Miller’s first six seasons, he has 73.5 sacks.
Both guys are dominant defenders who have led their teams to championships. Some have made the case that Miller should be in the discussion for NFL MVP this season, but it’s been a long time since a defender took home the prestigious award — 30 years, in fact.
The last time a defender won the NFL MVP was in 1986, when Taylor won it with the New York Giants. Maybe Miller will continue to follow in his footsteps and end the drought.