Commanders LB Von Miller pays tribute to Kobe Bryant and former teammates with new number

ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Commanders caller borderline rusher Von Miller has been associated with 2 numbers passim his NFL career: 58 and 40. He made those numbers celebrated successful the NFL due to the fact that of his pass-rushing skills.

Now, helium wants to beryllium associated with a caller fig that others made famous, including Los Angeles Lakers fable Kobe Bryant.

With the Nos. 58 and 40 occupied successful Washington -- by second-year players, linebacker Jordan Magee and information Tyler Owens, respectively, who could beryllium cardinal backups -- Miller chose No. 24.

The lone different fig Miller had worn successful his vocation was No. 5 successful inferior high. Commanders backmost Jayden Daniels has that number.

Miller said helium did not "want to beryllium that feline to travel successful here" and request 1 of his erstwhile NFL numbers.

"It's not that serious," said Miller, who signed with Washington connected Monday. "I conscionable privation to triumph games."

But helium settled connected 24 due to the fact that of what definite radical meant to him.

It starts with Corey Borner, who suffered a spinal cord wounded successful a 2009 crippled for DeSoto High School (Texas) and was paralyzed. Borner wore No. 24 astatine DeSoto, wherever Miller had graduated from 2 years earlier. After Borner's injury, Miller and different DeSoto alum, Cyrus Gray, wore No. 24 successful 1 crippled for Texas A&M to grant Borner.

Miller said 2 different players were portion of his reasoning. Bryant, who wore 24 from 2006 until retiring successful 2016 and whom Miller called "the top 24 of them all," was one. His erstwhile Denver teammate Champ Bailey, who began his vocation with Washington, besides wore the fig for his full career. Miller played 3 seasons with Bailey.

"That fig conscionable spoke to maine successful truthful galore antithetic ways," Miller said. "I conscionable decided to deterioration it."