Rams' Von Miller visited site of Kobe Bryant helicopter crash ahead of NFC championship game
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Days before he played in the NFC championship game, Von Miller, star outside linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams, said his mind was on more than football on the two-year anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death.
Miller said he visited the site in Calabasas, California, where the helicopter carrying Bryant, Bryant’s daughter Gianna and seven other people crashed on Jan. 26, 2020, killing everyone aboard.
“I live right down the street from the crash (site),” Miller said Sunday after helping lead the Rams to a 20-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers and into a matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56. “…I just wanted to go over there and feel that energy, feel the spirit.’’
Miller had two tackles, including a tackle for loss, Sunday at SoFi Stadium before reflecting on the recent past.
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He was the MVP of Super Bowl 50 when he led the Denver Broncos to a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers and remained a fixture in the Pro Bowl until an ankle injury sidelined him during the 2020 season. This offseason, Miller said, he felt he wasn’t doing enough and drew inspiration on Bryant’s Mamba Mentality.
“I definitely tried to apply it to my life, to my game as a teammate, as a brother, as a father, and it’s been great,’’ he said. “Man, I hope we can perform in a way that would make (Bryant) proud.’’
Miller, who joined the Rams in a midseason trade, finished the 2021 regular season with 9.5 sacks and has emerged as a key member of Los Angeles' formidable defense.