ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller says he is lucky to be alive after a violent crash in southwestern Missouri last week cost him his left arm and left him with multiple serious injuries. The Joplin native wrote that he was airlifted to Mercy Hospital in Joplin and is now focused on a long recovery surrounded by his family.
State Patrol Report Details Highway 96 Collision
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's online crash report, the wreck happened around 3:50 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, on State Highway 96, roughly 1.5 miles west of Oronogo. The report lists Miller's 2023 Ford Bronco as "Vehicle 1" and says it crossed the center line and hit a 2024 International tractor-trailer, which tried to avoid impact before both vehicles went off the road.
Miller is identified as a 42-year-old man from Webb City who was flown by MedFlight to Mercy Hospital in Joplin with serious injuries, per the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Miller’s Message From The Hospital And Public Support
Posting an update on X, Miller thanked "the first responders to the doctors, nurses and medical staff" and wrote, "I'm incredibly fortunate to be writing this," according to FOX 10 Phoenix. He said he suffered multiple fractures and broken ribs and that doctors had to amputate his left arm to save his life. The message drew a wave of well-wishes from across the football world.
Outlets including People reported that figures across the NFL media community reached out publicly to offer support.
From Joplin To ESPN And The Road Ahead
Miller joined ESPN in 2021 as an NFL Draft contributor and became a year-round draft analyst in 2022, according to the ESPN Press Room. A Joplin native and father of two, he said his focus now is on healing and, when his doctors clear him, getting back to breaking down prospects for ESPN's draft coverage.
Authorities have posted the preliminary crash report online, and further updates could follow as investigators and Miller's medical team provide more information.
