Mike Miller (football coach)
Encyclopedia
Mike Miller is an American football
coach
, currently the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals
of the National Football League
.
Miller graduated in 1988 from Plum High School
in Plum, Pennsylvania
, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He also earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Clarion University of Pennsylvania
and a master's degree in education form Robert Morris University
.
Miller's first exposure to the professional sports scene was as a public relations intern. He held internships with the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Pittsburgh Penguins
and Indianapolis Colts
. During this time, he also helped the scouting department and learned the inner workings of the coaching profession. He also gain valuable experience as a graduate assistant at Robert Morris University
where he coached under veteran NFL coaches Joe Walton
and Dan Radakovich. In 1999, Bill Cowher
offered Miller his first official coaching position as an offensive quality control coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers
. At this position, Miller worked closely with offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey
. In 2004, Mularkey was named head coach for the Buffalo Bills
and offered Miller a position on his staff. Mularkey was eventually fired and Miller landed a coaching job with the Berlin Thunder
of NFL Europa in 2006. In 2007, Ken Whisenhunt
was named as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals
and offered Miller a position on his staff. Like Mularkey, Whisenhunt first worked with Miller on the Steelers coaching staff.
Miller spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as the wide receivers coach for the Arizona Cardinals
. In 2008, his top two receivers Larry Fitzgerald
and Anquan Boldin
were named to the Pro Bowl
. Also in 2008, Fitzgerald, Boldin and Steve Breaston
each gained over 1000 receiving yards, a feat only accomplished five times in NFL history. He also helped the team reach Super Bowl XLIII
in 2009. In 2011 Miller was named the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
, currently the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Miller graduated in 1988 from Plum High School
Plum High School
Plum High School is a public high school and the only high school in Plum Borough School District located at 900 Elicker Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15239. It has approximately 1,478 students enrolled for the 2007-2008 school year and serves grades nine through twelve. The current principal is Ryan...
in Plum, Pennsylvania
Plum, Pennsylvania
Plum is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 27,126 at the 2010 census.Plum is often referred to as "Plum Boro" or more correctly "Plum Borough" by locals to distinguish it from its previous status as a township...
, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He also earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Clarion University of Pennsylvania, located on a campus in Clarion, Pennsylvania, is one of fourteen universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education ....
and a master's degree in education form Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University is a private, coeducational university in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1921, the school was named for Robert Morris, who signed the Declaration of Independence, and helped finance the ensuing war with the British.-History:Robert Morris...
.
Miller's first exposure to the professional sports scene was as a public relations intern. He held internships with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. During this time, he also helped the scouting department and learned the inner workings of the coaching profession. He also gain valuable experience as a graduate assistant at Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University is a private, coeducational university in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1921, the school was named for Robert Morris, who signed the Declaration of Independence, and helped finance the ensuing war with the British.-History:Robert Morris...
where he coached under veteran NFL coaches Joe Walton
Joe Walton
Joseph Frank Walton is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of Robert Morris University. Walton played eight seasons in the National Football League and served as head coach of the New York Jets for seven seasons...
and Dan Radakovich. In 1999, Bill Cowher
Bill Cowher
William Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
offered Miller his first official coaching position as an offensive quality control coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. At this position, Miller worked closely with offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey
Mike Mularkey
Michael Rene Mularkey is an American professional football coach and a former college and professional football player. He played college football for the...
. In 2004, Mularkey was named head coach for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and offered Miller a position on his staff. Mularkey was eventually fired and Miller landed a coaching job with the Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
of NFL Europa in 2006. In 2007, Ken Whisenhunt
Ken Whisenhunt
Kenneth "Ken" Moore Whisenhunt is the current head coach of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team, leading them to the first Super Bowl in franchise history during the 2008 season...
was named as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and offered Miller a position on his staff. Like Mularkey, Whisenhunt first worked with Miller on the Steelers coaching staff.
Miller spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as the wide receivers coach for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In 2008, his top two receivers Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Darnell Fitzgerald, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League, and currently ranks fourth all-time in league history in receiving yards per game for a career , behind Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison...
and Anquan Boldin
Anquan Boldin
-Arizona Cardinals:As a rookie Boldin set an NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie in his first game , tied Billy Sims for most yards from scrimmage by a rookie in his first game , and holds the NFL record for most receptions in the first 26 games of an NFL career...
were named to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
. Also in 2008, Fitzgerald, Boldin and Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
each gained over 1000 receiving yards, a feat only accomplished five times in NFL history. He also helped the team reach Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
in 2009. In 2011 Miller was named the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.