ALAMEDA – Denver Broncos edge rusher Von Miller respects Raiders receiver Antonio Brown a great deal. The superstars never go head-to-head, but they know each other and have gotten along well.
Game, after all, recognizes game.
Miller has spent a long time in the spotlight and knows it can be an uncomfortable place to live. Brown has taken up permanent residence there this summer, making seemingly daily headlines over his frostbitten feet or issues finding a proper helmet.
Wednesday morning's Instagram story showing a fine letter from Raiders general manager Mike Mayock ended a quiet spell.
Miller believes Brown's star power and the nature of his position creates more sensational coverage.
"That's my guy. I love Antonio," Miller said Wednesday in a conference call. "I loved meeting Antonio off the field. He has been a star receiver since Day 1, when he came into the league returning punts. He was a star then, and really took off in Year 2.
"I think it's blown out of proportion. We know how these receivers get. It's not just the Oakland Raiders. It's big-time receivers across the league, they have the media following them and I think it gets blown out of proportion."
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Miller knows that, even if Brown's being discussed on every channel, he'll be primed for a big game when the Raiders and Broncos face off on "Monday Night Football."
"He's a star, and no matter what the media tries to say about his helmet or whatever, he's still AB," Miller said. "When he steps on the football field, he's ready to go. We all know that."
