AURORA, Colo. — Von Miller has the coronavirus and the NFL star wanted to come forward with his diagnosis to show people how serious the disease is.
“Von wants to let everyone out there know it’s serious; it doesn’t just happen to old people in nursing homes,” agent Joby Branion told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Miller told KUSA-TV in Denver that he developed a cough a couple of days ago and when his nebulizer for his asthma didn’t clear things up, he decided to get tested for the coronavirus and the test came back positive Thursday.
“I’m in good spirits,” Miller told the TV station. “I’m not feeling sick or hurting or anything like that.”
The Broncos released a statement, saying Miller “elected to share his diagnosis publicly to emphasize that anyone can be afflicted with coronavirus.”
“Von is doing well and recovering at home in self-isolation. He remains under the care of team doctors, who are following all coronavirus treatment procedures to ensure a safe environment for Von and our community,” the team added.
Branion said that aside from his allergy to grass, Miller, 31, is the picture of health.
“Von lives to take care of his health and his body and it hit him, too,” Branion said. “Hopefully, he’s like the 85 per cent who kick this disease in the teeth in two weeks. But the bottom line is he got it, too.”
Brandion said Miller is in good spirits while quarantined at his home in the Denver area and that the Broncos linebacker plans to speak publicly about his diagnosis on Friday.
Branion said Miller went for a test after he began coughing a couple of days ago.
“I’ve seen him a lot sicker after games. He’s allergic to grass and after he’s been inundated with pollen, he’s sounded worse,” Branion said.
Miller, who was recently a unanimous pick to the NFL’s All-Decade team of the 2010s, said on a conference call last week he trained in San Francisco before returning home to Colorado when the stay-at-home measures went into effect to contain the virus.
Branion said Miller isn’t sure how he became infected.
“He’s been home for a month. Now, is he in lock-down, lock-down? No, but he’s been sort of staying home,” Branion said. “What happened? We don’t know.
“But it can get you. It got him, and he’s Superman!”
Miller is the second active NFL player to acknowledge testing positive during the coronavirus pandemic that has sickened more than 2 million people worldwide, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and sending millions into unemployment.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles Rams centre Brian Allen said he tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks ago. New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton revealed last month that he tested positive for the virus. The Los Angeles Chargers last week revealed a positive test and symptoms for unidentified members of their organization.
And in Denver, three unidentified Colorado Avalanche players have tested positive for the coronavirus.
___
Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that defenceman Alex Edler will sign a one-day contract in order to officially retire as a member of the NHL team.
The signing will be part of a celebration of Edler’s career held Oct. 11 when the Canucks host the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Canucks selected Edler, from Ostersund, Sweden, in the third round (91st overall) of the 2004 NHL draft.
He played in 925 career games for the Canucks between the 2006-07 and 2020-21 seasons, ranking fourth in franchise history and first among defencemen.
The 38-year-old leads all Vancouver defencemen with 99 goals, 310 assists and 177 power-play points with the team.
Edler also appeared in 82 career post-season contests with Vancouver and was an integral part of the Canucks’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, putting up 11 points (2-9-11) across 25 games.
“I am humbled and honoured to officially end my career and retire as a member of the Vancouver Canucks,” Edler said in a release. “I consider myself lucky to have started my career with such an outstanding organization, in this amazing city, with the best fans in the NHL. Finishing my NHL career where it all began is something very special for myself and my family.”
Edler played two seasons for Los Angeles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He did not play in the NHL last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
The sixth-ranked Canadian women will face World Cup champion Spain in an international friendly next month.
Third-ranked Spain will host Canada on Oct. 25 at Estadio Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo.
The game will be the first for the Canadian women since the Paris Olympics, where they lost to Germany in a quarterfinal penalty shootout after coach Bev Priestman was sent home and later suspended for a year by FIFA over her part in Canada’s drone-spying scandal.
In announcing the Spain friendly, Canada Soccer said more information on the interim women’s coaching staff for the October window will come later. Assistant coach Andy Spence took charge of the team in Priestman’s absence at the Olympics.
Spain finished fourth in Paris, beaten 1-0 by Germany in the bronze-medal match.
Canada is winless in three previous meetings (0-2-1) with Spain, most recently losing 1-0 at the Arnold Clark Cup in England in February 2022.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in May 2019 in Logroñés, Spain in a warm-up for the 2019 World Cup. Spain won 1-0 in March 2019 at the Algarve Cup in São João da Venda, Portugal.
Spain is a powerhouse in the women’s game these days.
It won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2022 and was runner-up in 2018. And it ousted Canada 2-1 in the round of 16 of the current U-20 tournament earlier this month in Colombia before falling 1-0 to Japan after extra time in the quarterfinal.
Spain won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and has finished on the podium on three other occasions.
FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati (2023) and Alexia Putellas (2021 and ’22) have combined to win the last three Women’s Ballon d’Or awards.
And Barcelona has won three of the last four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.
“We continue to strive to diversify our opponent pool while maintaining a high level of competition.” Daniel Michelucci, Canada Soccer’s director of national team operations, said in a statement. “We anticipate a thrilling encounter, showcasing two of the world’s top-ranked teams.”
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024
TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced cookie brand Oreo as the team’s helmet sponsor for the upcoming NHL season.
The new helmet will debut Sunday when Toronto opens its 2024-25 pre-season against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.
The Oreo logo replaces Canadian restaurant chain Pizza Pizza, which was the Leafs’ helmet sponsor last season.
Previously, social media platform TikTok sponsored Toronto starting in the 2021-22 regular season when the league began allowing teams to sell advertising space on helmets.
The Oreo cookie consists of two chocolate biscuits around a white icing filling and is often dipped in milk.
Fittingly, the Leafs wear the Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s “Milk” logo on their jerseys.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
