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

ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Commanders new edge rusher Von Miller has been associated with two numbers throughout his NFL career: 58 and 40. He made those numbers famous in the NFL because of his pass-rushing skills.

Now, he wants to be associated with a new number that others made famous, including Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

With the Nos. 58 and 40 occupied in Washington -- by second-year players, linebacker Jordan Magee and safety Tyler Owens, respectively, who could be key backups -- Miller chose No. 24.

The only other number Miller had worn in his career was No. 5 in junior high. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has that number.

Miller said he did not "want to be that guy to come in here" and demand one of his former NFL numbers.

"It's not that serious," said Miller, who signed with Washington on Monday. "I just want to win games."

But he settled on 24 because of what certain people meant to him.

It starts with Corey Borner, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a 2009 game for DeSoto High School (Texas) and was paralyzed. Borner wore No. 24 at DeSoto, where Miller had graduated from two years earlier. After Borner's injury, Miller and another DeSoto alum, Cyrus Gray, wore No. 24 in one game for Texas A&M to honor Borner.

Miller said two other players were part of his reasoning. Bryant, who wore 24 from 2006 until retiring in 2016 and whom Miller called "the greatest 24 of them all," was one. His former Denver teammate Champ Bailey, who began his career with Washington, also wore the number for his entire career. Miller played three seasons with Bailey.

"That number just spoke to me in so many different ways," Miller said. "I just decided to wear it."