Sam Mills

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.

Early life
Sam Mills was born in Neptune City, New Jersey. 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 School 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.

Montclair State University
Mills attended college at Montclair State College (now known as Montclair State University) 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, Mills tried out with the Cleveland Browns but was cut. 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.

New Orleans Saints
After the Stars won the 1985 USFL title, their head coach Jim Mora 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.

Carolina Panthers
Mills became a free agent 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).

After football
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. He is one of only two players in the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor. There is also a statue of him outside of Bank Of America stadium in Charlotte. 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).

Mills was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in August 2003. 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 XXXVIII. 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. 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. 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.