New signee Von Miller met the media ahead on his first day at Cowboys training camp in Oxnard.
Von Miller is finally a Dallas Cowboy, with the veteran pass rusher the newest member of Christian Parker's defense.
When the news dropped, many were intrigued by the proposition of seeing what Miller could do, both on and off the field.
At 37 years old, the All-Pro is coming to Dallas with the intention to help Brian Schottenheimer's team push for a Super Bowl.
And he fronted the media in what was his first time since being a Cowboy, and here are his top 10 quotes and our top 10 takeaways. ...
1 - Cowboys move a dream:
Being a Dallas native, Miller is finally "home," having spent all of his career elsewhere, but now he is part of America's Team, and he can't believe it.
"It's really cool," Miller said. "It's like that movie 'Inception,' like a dream within a dream. I always wanted to play in the National Football League and then play for the Dallas Cowboys. Year 16 dream within a dream. It's super cool."
2 - Social media posts for the fans...but also him:
Having been very active on social media this offseason, Miller seemed to be campaigning for the Cowboys to sign him.
Post after post, there was growing momentum that kept Miller's name at the forefront for most of the offseason, and that was intentional.
"Social media is not real. I did that with the Cowboys, like the Raiders back on April Fools', and Bills jerseys, Broncos jerseys," he said. "I'm not on the team, so just to get the people going. I always try to be respectful and not get the fans going too much.
"I was kind of for real, but not for real, it was just a way to keep media and the fans talking about me throughout the offseason while I was a free agent. But it did work out."
3 - He still believes he's got juice...and off the field too:
The biggest talking point is how much Miller can actually help on the field, given his age, but there is no denying he will bring a lot to the table.
But if you are expecting him to be anything other than a bit-part player, you'd better readjust your expectations.
"I can still play football," Miller said. "I can still contribute in other ways. When it comes to being a great teammate, like if it was a Hall of Fame for that, I'm going to the Hall of Fame first ballot. I'm probably the best teammate that ever played in the National Football League. My ability to get people around me to play at a level that they wouldn't normally play at- nobody does that like me.
"I can contribute 10 to 15 plays, that's without even being on the field, just by my knowledge of the game and getting everybody else to play at the level that they would normally play at. So whether it's the defensive coordinator, defensive line, young guys, I can contribute in so many different ways to win games. And that's not even talking about the type of player that I still believe that I am."
4 - Has already sought out Hunter Luepke for No. 40:
We know that Miller has worn several numbers across his career, and it appears he's set on No. 40 in Dallas.
Except fullback Hunter Luepke currently has that, but Miller has already spoken to him about switching, which includes a rather tasty deal.
"Hunter is 40," Miller said. "I did make some offers to him already...a lifetime supply of chicken. (Miller owns a chicken ranch.) So, whatever it takes to make it happen. The most important thing is to win a lot of these games, playing big games, and the number will just be an afterthought.
But what about No. 94 like his great friend DeMarcus Ware?
"No, not 94, that’s D. Ware."
5 - Family loves him coming home:
It isn't often that players can play for their hometown team, but Miller will in 2026, being a Dallas native.
And when the subject of how his family feels about the move came up, Miller couldn't hide his excitement that his family would get to see him with a star on his helmet.
“Oh, it's great, my mom is not a fan," a smiling Miller said. "My oldest son, Valor, he's five, he's just now coming into to consciousness of what dad does and to play for the Dallas Cowboys, it's no other team that he could learn football from.
"So whether it's bringing him up here, bringing the kids up here, getting them to know all the players, or being around a facility, it's super cool for me and my family."
6 - Von's "love" style of leadership:
One of the biggest benefits of Miller coming to Dallas is what he can do as a mentor to the likes of Malachi Lawrence and Donovan Ezeiruaku, and he's made no secret that "selfishly" he wants everyone to know how he gets the best out of everyone.
And in a similar style to nearly every coach on Brian Schottenheimer's team, Miller is team first.
"I lead with love first," Miller said. "I like to really learn my teammates. You can't treat everybody the same, so you got to really learn these guys, and then you just plant little seeds and pull those strings to really get it going.
"If you can get guys to play at a certain level for three hours on Sunday, whether the team is better than us or whether we're better than the other team, magical things happen. So, if we getting everybody going in the same direction, we're able to win those games."
7 - Teammates over stats in 2026:
Many wonder exactly what a good season from Miller will look like. Some think maybe five or six sacks would be a good year for the veteran; others think what he does off the field is a good measuring stick.
And for Miller, he made it clear, it's teammates first over any stats he might get in 2026.
"It's never a number," Miller said when asked what the measuring stick for him in 2026 is. "The number one thing for me is to be the best teammate that I could possibly be to help everybody improve, whether it's offense, defense, special teams, and to win a championship.
"Am I going to go out here and just beat somebody to death for 60 plays a game? Probably not. But it's still in there, and I can still win a lot of these reps, especially when it's crunch time."
"I still got some dog, 15 to 20 plays when I'm out there. I still feel like I'm the best player on the field despite what everybody else thinks."
8 - How can he help Dallas get a Super Bowl, plus Von the GM?
With Miller arriving, many see it as the type of move a contender makes to take them over the top, and while that might not be exactly how I would frame it, Von is clearly here for a reason.
But who is he going to help the Cowboys end that 30-year drought?
"I feel like the things that I've learned over time is how to build great teams," he said. "That goes with my want to be a GM or front office personnel, team president, things that go into building great teams. For me, that's all I want to do. I just want to help everybody around me be the best possible coach, player, athletic trainer possible."
9 - What winning a Super Bowl would do for the fans:
Miller cited the difference in the Super Bowl celebrations between the Denver Broncos fans and the Los Angeles Rams fans, and there is no denying that Cowboys Nation is a different beast.
One could only imagine the celebrations if Miller helped the Cowboys climb the NFL mountain.
"The fans here are die-hard fans," Miller said. "If we're able to have a successful season and win a Super Bowl, it'll be a holiday in Dallas. They either love them or hate them, but at the end of the day, they all root for the Dallas Cowboys. For us to be able to win a Super Bowl, it'll be crazy in Dallas."
10 - Why Dallas?
Miller said that last season's decision, in which he had to choose between Washington and Seattle, played a role in his choice this offseason.
He also revealed he spent time with Dak Prescott gambling in Las Vegas, and then the Cowboys, a few weeks later, called him.
After having several offers, it was the Cowboys that he decided on, but why?
"Cowboys reached out, and I was just like, 'Bro, this is a sign for me." And we worked on it," Miller said. "Talk to some other teams. But ultimately, my love for the Dallas Cowboys, my chicken farm is here, my family's here, just by being a Dallas Cowboy and wearing that star was beneficial to me and my family.
"That's what ultimately made the decision for me."
