Von Miller has tried to convince his teammates to take COVID-19 seriously but said some “don’t even think it’s real.” The Broncos linebacker knows first hand it is.
Miller, who has asthma, learned of his diagnosis in April after developing a cough. During an interview with Kent Babb of the Washington Post, Miller admits the difficulty in breathing scared him.
“That was the most frightening part,” Miller told Babb. “Just going to sleep knowing that my oxygen level could drop, and I could wake up and have to go to the hospital.”
Miller lost his taste and smell, impacting his appetite. He quickly understood the severity of the situation: His body was in for a fight with the virus.
“The first four, five days I was honestly nervous,” Miller said. “I wouldn’t say that I thought I was going to die or anything like that, but it did cross my mind a little bit.”
Miller needed 17 days before resuming his workouts, and he still is not himself.
“I still feel my lungs trying to get back in shape,” Miller said. “It’s just all the wear and tear that it puts on your lungs.”