There are edge rushers and then there are edge rushers like Von Miller. More than a decade into his prolific NFL career, Miller has continued to set and reset the definition of what a premium defensive stud should be. His decision to move from his home in Denver to the auspices of the Buffalo Bills was not an easy choice, nor was it one made lightly.
One of the NFL’s top rushers over the better part of the past decade, Von Miller’s move to Buffalo wasn’t one made without preparation. During a relatively calm preseason, Miller would open up with a sports psychologist to detail some of the lessons he’s learned over time while discussing what truly makes him tick.
Leslie Frazier, the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, said of Miller, “He’s an open book as far as sharing with guys how he prepares, how important nutrition is.”
Discussing his process has been only one part of the change Von Miller brought to Buffalo, but it was far from the only one they expected. Frazier added, “They gained some insight into what makes him tick and why he’s a future Hall of Famer. Stuff like that.”
Time For a Change
Generational talents don’t often transition from one team to the next absent a good reason. For Von Miller, leaving Denver to move to Los Angeles was one thing, but relocating to Buffalo was something else entirely.
Leaving behind the warm summers and magnified lenses of Los Angeles, Miller would seek his way to Buffalo nowhere he’d find cold weather and a team ready to embrace him. Coming off of a Super Bowl victory, many were wondering where his mind was at and those closest to the veteran rusher say that he is seizing the opportunity for another Super Bowl Ring.
Guided by the insight of Joey Feste of KM Capital Management, Miller navigated a precipitous path while trying to decide where to next bring his talents. In choosing Buffalo, Miller prioritized a location that he deemed only a missing piece or two away from a Super Bowl appearance.
Making the Move to Buffalo
In the NFL, players transition from one team to the next seemingly every other day during the offseason. Only, the caliber of the player leaving isn’t regularly that of Von Miller.
According to Miller and his financial team, including KM Capital Management’s Joey Feste and Joey Feste Jr, Miller had more than 10 teams call during free agency. It took some time, but Feste and Miller were able to narrow down their choices to Buffalo and Los Angeles.
By the morning of March 16, BufBillsills’ GM Brandon Beane was ready to make an offer to Von Miller’s agent, Joby Branion. The deal began in earnest and within eight hours, an agreement had been made. Miller would soon record a video while vacationing in the Bahamas to announce his departure from Los Angeles to the Buffalo Bills.
Miller said in a statement, “My eyes have always been on Buffalo since I almost got drafted here.”
Working With the Numbers
Von Miller’s ascent from vaunted rookie pass rusher to millionaire defensive stud wasn’t a simple one, nor was it one that was destined to happen. Financially, players of Millcaliberlibre are often lost in free agency and undervalued, securing deals that leave them less than enthused by the end of their contract.
Miller and Joey Feste prioritized extra guaranteed money and so they opted for Buffalo where Miller would receive an additional $15 million by the time his mid-30s rolled into view. Averse to conflict and more interested in playing football than dealing with the financials, Miller just wants to get on the field.
Speaking on his departure from Los Angeles, “I never saw myself leaving. How do you leave Aaron Donald, a great environment, and all those great places that L.A. has for Buffalo?”
For Miller, the answer was simple: “I still feel like I got a lot of football left.”
Relying on an Inner Circle
From his first days of college football to his most recent free agency signing, Von Miller has enjoyed running with a small circle and it has only gotten tighter. In recent years, Miller turns almost exclusively to a small ring of support options: his parents, adviser Joey Feste, his legal team, and agent Joby Branion.
Seeking advice from his counsel, Miller received an echo in return: go somewhere where he wanted to be, where he could win, and where he could have the greatest impact on the roster. For his counsel and eventually Miller, the obvious choice was in Buffalo.
Build around a stud QB in Josh Allen and backed by a defensive powerhouse, Buffalo’s team presented Miller with a seemingly “one piece away” scenario. Miller would sign on the dotted line to become that missing piece, securing a 6-year contract at the age of 33.
Miller doesn’t want his age to become a topic of conversation, however. Miller said in an interview, “If I don’t move like it, if I don’t look like it, don’t push that on me. I still got a lot of football left.”
Joey Feste and KM Capital Management
KM Capital Management was established in 2004 by founder Joey Feste. Feste earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics upon graduating from the University of Texas in 1987. Upon graduation, Feste would enter the financial field as an advisor, working with Rotan Mosley before relocating to Morgan Stanley.
Upon exiting Morgan Stanley, Feste would establish KM Capital Management alongside his son, Joey Feste Jr. Together, the two offer a financial firm that offers specialized services to individuals who need a financial plan that caters to their needs.
Through his efforts at KM Capital Management, Joey and Joey Feste Jr. provide customers with financial advice backed by more than 50 years of financial experience. As a proudly Registered Advisor, Joey and Joey Feste Jr stand on the same side of the table as their clients seek to profit off their names in sports and entertainment.
To learn more about Joey Feste and Joey Feste Jr., as well as the work of KM Capital Management, head to their official website, today.
