Von Miller gave 'serious consideration' to opting out of season

Denver Broncos star linebacker Von Miller revealed Tuesday that he seriously contemplated opting out of the 2020 season, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.

Miller was the second active NFL player to contract COVID-19 in April. The seven-time Pro Bowler also suffers from asthma, which requires him to use an inhaler to train and play.

"I thought about it. ... I thought about all of my family, I took serious consideration and the things that could possibly happen," Miller said. "It's not a 100 percent bubble like basketball, so there are always going to be holes, but I felt like the job the Broncos were doing to keep us safe was enough for me not to opt out."

Notable players such as Damien Williams, C.J. Mosley, and Nate Solder have opted out. Broncos right tackle Ja'Wuan James and defensive tackle Kyle Peko also elected not to play this season.

But with Thursday's opt-out deadline fast approaching, no players of Miller's stature have decided to sit out.

While the pass-rusher is ready to play, he knows just how impactful the coronavirus can be, even for top-tier athletes.

"I did (have trouble), it was hard for me to get my wind back, probably for two or three weeks after the virus,'' Miller said. "During the virus, I lost a lot of weight - everybody is not the same, but for me, I lost my taste and smell, I couldn't really, like, eat, and when you can't taste or smell you kind of lose your appetite. ... It was tough, no doubt about it."

The 31-year-old is entering his 10th season in the NFL. He will be looking to rebound after producing his worst sack (eight) and tackle (46) totals since an injury-shortened 2013 campaign.

Copyright (C) 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.