Sam Mills
Encyclopedia
Samuel Davis "Sam" Mills, Jr. (June 3, 1959 - April 18, 2005) was an American football
linebacker
who played twelve seasons in the National Football League
for the New Orleans Saints
and Carolina Panthers
.
. When Sam Mills was growing up in Long Branch, N.J., he loved to tag along with his older brother and play pickup football games with the bigger boys.
in Long Branch, New Jersey
, and was a standout football player and wrestler. In 1976 and 1977, Mills won District Championships at Long Branch as a wrestler. Long Branch High School honors him to this day by hanging his high school jersey and his NFL jersey in the school gym. Although considered a great athlete in high school, Mill's 5'9" frame didn't interest college scouts.
) and made the football squad as a walk-on. As of today, Mills is the all-time leader in career tackles at Montclair State with 501, tackles in a season (142) and tackles in a game (22). Mills played for Montclair State from 1977-1980. He was a three-time NJAC First Team All-Star and was named the New Jersey Collegiate Writers Defensive Player of the Year for three straight seasons (1978–1980).
but was eventually cut after Rutigliano thought he had the skills but lacked the physical size to play in the NFL. He then tried out with the Canadian Football League
's Toronto Argonauts
but did not make the team.
Mills found a job teaching photography and assisting the football coach at East Orange (N.J.) High School. It was at this time, Mills tried out and made the Philadelphia Stars
of the USFL
's roster. Mills played for the Stars for three years. During that time (wearing #54), he became known around the league for both his tenacity on the field and his leadership off it. His speed, surprising for a man of his size, earned him the nickname "The Field Mouse." Sam led the Stars to two USFL championships, was named to three All-USFL teams and is a member of the USFL’s All-Time Team.
was signed on to coach the New Orleans Saints
, and Mills followed his mentor. During his tenure with the Saints, starting in 1986, Mills was an anchor of the defense. He was a member of the vaunted "Dome Patrol
," the stellar linebacking corps that led a ferocious Saints defense in the early 1990s. Mills earned four Pro Bowl
appearances with the Saints in 1987, 1988, 1991, and 1992. Mills' coach in New Orleans, Jim Mora, who coached 15 seasons in the NFL, called Mills "The best player I ever coached."
at the end of the 1994 NFL season
, and was signed by the expansion
Carolina Panthers
. Mills became a veteran leader for the young team, the only player to start every game during the Panthers' first three seasons. An interception in a 1995 season game sealed the Panthers first ever victory in franchise history against the New York Jets. His career rebirth gave him a fifth Pro Bowl appearance in 1996 at the age of 37. After retiring in 1997
, Mills stayed with the organization as a linebackers coach.
Sam Mills holds the NFL record for the oldest player to return a fumble for a touchdown (37 years, 174 days).
Mills played 12 seasons in the NFL and recorded 1,319 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 11 interceptions and four touchdowns while starting 173 of 181 games. Mills was named to the NFL All-Pro team three times, in 1991, 1992, and 1996. He was elected to both the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (1991) and the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey
(1993).
. His plea to "Keep Pounding" in an emotional speech before the Panthers' victory over the Dallas Cowboys
later became the name of a fund to sponsor cancer research programs. He continued to coach the team during the entire 2004 season, but after battling with cancer for almost 2 years, Mills died at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina
on the morning of April 18, 2005. He was 45.
Mills' number 51 was retired by the Panthers at the start of the 2005 NFL season
, making it the first number the franchise has retired . Mills was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 2009, with his son Sam Mills III
accepting the award on his father's behalf. Sam Mills III currently holds the position of Quality Control - Defense for the Carolina Panthers.
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...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who played twelve seasons in 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...
for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.
Early life
Sam Mills was born in Neptune City, New JerseyNeptune City, New Jersey
Neptune City is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,869.The Borough of Neptune City was incorporated on October 4, 1881, based on a referendum held on March 19, 1881...
. When Sam Mills was growing up in Long Branch, N.J., he loved to tag along with his older brother and play pickup football games with the bigger boys.
Long Branch High School
Mills attended high school at Long Branch High SchoolLong Branch High School
Long Branch High School is a comprehensive, four-year community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades in the city of Long Branch, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Long Branch Public Schools. LBPS, one of 31 special-needs...
in Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
, and was a standout football player and wrestler. In 1976 and 1977, Mills won District Championships at Long Branch as a wrestler. Long Branch High School honors him to this day by hanging his high school jersey and his NFL jersey in the school gym. Although considered a great athlete in high school, Mill's 5'9" frame didn't interest college scouts.
Montclair State University
Mills attended college at Montclair State College (now known as Montclair State UniversityMontclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
) and made the football squad as a walk-on. As of today, Mills is the all-time leader in career tackles at Montclair State with 501, tackles in a season (142) and tackles in a game (22). Mills played for Montclair State from 1977-1980. He was a three-time NJAC First Team All-Star and was named the New Jersey Collegiate Writers Defensive Player of the Year for three straight seasons (1978–1980).
Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars
Fred Hill, who coached Mills at Montclair State, said that many pro scouts loved his tape, but when they heard he was only 5'9", they lost interest. Just like after high school, Mill's lack of height held him back. After College, his Pop Warner Football coach Thomas Bevacqui Jr. was able to get Mills into the Cleveland Browns Training Camp after meeting with Browns Coach Sam Rutigliano. Bevacqui told Rutigliano that Mills was the best linebacker that he had ever seen play the game. Mills tried out with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
but was eventually cut after Rutigliano thought he had the skills but lacked the physical size to play in the NFL. He then tried out with the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
but did not make the team.
Mills found a job teaching photography and assisting the football coach at East Orange (N.J.) High School. It was at this time, Mills tried out and made the Philadelphia Stars
Philadelphia Stars
Philadelphia Stars may refer to:* Philadelphia Stars , a baseball team in the Negro Leagues from 1933 to 1952* Philadelphia Stars , a football team in the USFL in 1983-84, after which they became the Baltimore Stars for their final season in 1985...
of the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
's roster. Mills played for the Stars for three years. During that time (wearing #54), he became known around the league for both his tenacity on the field and his leadership off it. His speed, surprising for a man of his size, earned him the nickname "The Field Mouse." Sam led the Stars to two USFL championships, was named to three All-USFL teams and is a member of the USFL’s All-Time Team.
New Orleans Saints
After the Stars won the 1985 USFL title, their head coach Jim MoraJim E. Mora
James Earnest Mora is the former head coach of the USFL's Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars and the NFL's New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. He played football at Occidental College where he was also a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. His son Jim L...
was signed on to coach the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, and Mills followed his mentor. During his tenure with the Saints, starting in 1986, Mills was an anchor of the defense. He was a member of the vaunted "Dome Patrol
Dome Patrol
The Dome Patrol was the nickname of the New Orleans Saints football team's linebacker corps of the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The Dome Patrol was rated by NFL Network as the #1 linebacker corps of all-time.Its members were:...
," the stellar linebacking corps that led a ferocious Saints defense in the early 1990s. Mills earned four 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...
appearances with the Saints in 1987, 1988, 1991, and 1992. Mills' coach in New Orleans, Jim Mora, who coached 15 seasons in the NFL, called Mills "The best player I ever coached."
Carolina Panthers
Mills became a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
at the end of the 1994 NFL season
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
, and was signed by the expansion
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. Mills became a veteran leader for the young team, the only player to start every game during the Panthers' first three seasons. An interception in a 1995 season game sealed the Panthers first ever victory in franchise history against the New York Jets. His career rebirth gave him a fifth Pro Bowl appearance in 1996 at the age of 37. After retiring in 1997
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
, Mills stayed with the organization as a linebackers coach.
Sam Mills holds the NFL record for the oldest player to return a fumble for a touchdown (37 years, 174 days).
Mills played 12 seasons in the NFL and recorded 1,319 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 11 interceptions and four touchdowns while starting 173 of 181 games. Mills was named to the NFL All-Pro team three times, in 1991, 1992, and 1996. He was elected to both the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (1991) and the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey
Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey
The Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey was established in 1988 to honor athletes, teams, events and contributors associated with the state of New Jersey...
(1993).
After football
After retiring from play, mills was inducted into the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor. He became a Defensive Coaching Assistant for the Panthers in 1998, before being promoted to Linebackers coach in 1999. In August of 2003, however, Mills was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. Though he was told he had only a few months to live, he underwent chemotherapy and radiation and continued to coach. He was an inspirational force in the Panthers’ post-season run to Super Bowl XXXVIIISuper Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
. His plea to "Keep Pounding" in an emotional speech before the Panthers' victory over the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
later became the name of a fund to sponsor cancer research programs. He continued to coach the team during the entire 2004 season, but after battling with cancer for almost 2 years, Mills died at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
on the morning of April 18, 2005. He was 45.
Mills' number 51 was retired by the Panthers at the start of the 2005 NFL season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, making it the first number the franchise has retired . Mills was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 2009, with his son Sam Mills III
Sam Mills III
Sam Mills III is an American football coach. He is the Defensive quality control coach for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He has been a part of the Panthers staff since 2006...
accepting the award on his father's behalf. Sam Mills III currently holds the position of Quality Control - Defense for the Carolina Panthers.