The Dallas Cowboyssigned veteran pass rusher and Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller Sunday, adding a future Hall of Famer to a defense that was historically bad last season. Miller is 37 years old, entering his 15thNFL season (he missed the 2020 season with an ankle injury). After notching 10 or more sacks in seven of his first eight seasons, he hasn’t reached double digits since. Still, Miller could make a big impact on a team that’s missed the playoffs the last two seasons.
Miller only started three games last season with the Washington Commanders, but as a situational pass rusher, he recorded nine sacks — which is more than anyone on the Cowboys had last season. Jadeveon Clowney led Dallas in 2025 with 8.5 sacks, and he’s no longer on the team.
The offense, led by quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, should continue to be explosive. Dallas was seventh in scoring offense last season (27.7 points per game), but they couldn’t overcome that defense. The Cowboys ranked dead last in scoring defense in 2025, allowing 30.1 points per game. They allowed 30 or more points nine times. The Cowboys finished 7-9-1 in Brian Schottenheimer’s first season as head coach.
Miller will be one of many new additions looking to boost the Cowboys’ defensive performance. Christian Parker is the new defensive coordinator, a former assistant with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, where he learned under defensive guru Vic Fangio. Dallas added a pair of first-round defenders in Ohio State safety Caleb Downs (11th overall) and Central Florida edge rusher Malachi Lawrence (23rd). Veteran linebacker Rashan Gary, who had 7.5 sacks each of his last two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, was acquired in March.
Downs is a do-it-all safety cut in the mold of current NFL stars like Derwin James and Kyle Hamilton, as he’s expected to have the kind of impact safety Nick Emmanwori had as a rookie with the Seattle Seahawks last season.
Another key player on the Dallas defense will be defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who was acquired from the New York Jets last November. Williams is a four-time Pro Bowler who can be a force on the interior line. Williams’ ability to break down the pocket from the inside could create more opportunity for Miller coming off the edge.
It remains to be seen what kind of impact Miller can make on the field for the Cowboys, but he certainly will add leadership and a culture of winning to the locker room. After the 2015 season, Miller was named MVP of Super Bowl 50, in which he recorded 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in the Denver Broncos’ 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Miller is one of six former Super Bowl MVPs who will be active in 2026:
