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Jim Miller
File:Jim Miller QB 2010.jpg
Miller in 2010
No. 16, 15, 13     
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1971-02-09) February 9, 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Career information
College: Michigan State
NFL Draft: 1994 / Round: 6 / Pick: 178
No regular season or postseason appearances
Career history
* Pittsburgh Steelers (19941996)
Career highlights and awards
* Super Bowl champion (XXXIX)
TD–INT     36–31
Yards     6,387
QB Rating     75.2
Stats at NFL.com

James Donald Miller (born February 9, 1971) is a host on SiriusXM NFL Radio, and a former NFL quarterback (1994–2005), best known for his years with the Chicago Bears (1998–2002). Following his professional football career, Miller has worked as a football analyst on radio and television.

Early years[]

Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School in Waterford, Michigan, and graduated in 1989. He started as the Captain's varsity quarterback his sophomore year and held that position through his senior year.[citation needed] Miller also played baseball and basketball.[1]

College career[]

Miller was a starting quarterback for the Michigan State Spartans for three years, beginning as a sophomore.[2] As a senior, he led the 1993 Spartans to a 6–5 regular season record, and a berth in the Liberty Bowl, which they lost to Louisville, 18–7. He finished with a final record of 14–24,[citation needed] and passed for a total of 5037 yards.[3] Miller then played in the 1994 Senior Bowl, passing for 75 yards (7-for-10) and one interception.[4]

Professional career[]

Miller was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. He broke a thumb in training camp, and missed most of the 1994 season.[5] In the spring of 1995, while still under contract with the Steelers, Miller was assigned to the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League of American Football in order to get playing time; he played briefly with the Galaxy before suffering a wrist injury.[5] Miller later appeared in a total of five games with the Steelers, who released him prior to the 1997 regular season.[6] During the 1997 season, Miller was briefly with the Jacksonville Jaguars,[7][8] before joining the Atlanta Falcons[9] — he did not appear in a game for either team. Miller next signed with the Detroit Lions in March 1998, but was released by the team in August, prior to the start of the regular season.[10][11] He then nearly had a contract with the Dallas Cowboys, however the Cowboys changed their mind when Mike Quinn became available.[12][13] In December 1998, Miller signed with the Chicago Bears, following a season-ending injury to Erik Kramer.[14]

It was not until 1999, in his second year with the Bears, that Miller earned a starting job. That promising season was cut short for Miller when he became the first quarterback to be suspended by the NFL for violation of its substance abuse policy. Miller contended he did not read the label on an over-the-counter dietary supplement containing the steroid nandrolone, a banned substance under the NFL's drug policy.[15] He was suspended for four games at the end of the 1999 season and lost about $100,000 in pay.

Upon his return, Miller became established as the starter for the Bears' brief playoff run in 2001, their first berth since 1994. With the second-best record in the NFC and tied for the second-best record in the NFL along with the Pittsburgh Steelers at 13–3, the Chicago Bears were awarded a first-round bye. This was due in large part to the Bears top-ranked defense as well as the ball control offense Miller led. On January 19, 2002, the Chicago Bears met the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Playoffs with Miller as quarterback. The Eagles were ahead 6–0 early in the second quarter when Miller threw an interception; during the runback, Eagles' defensive end Hugh Douglas delivered a hit to Miller that resulted in a separated shoulder; Douglas was later fined $35,000 by the NFL.[16][17] Miller had passed for only 23 yards (3-for-5, with 1 interception) in what was his lone playoff appearance, and Shane Matthews, who replaced Miller for the rest of the game, only passed for 66 yards (8-for-17, with 2 interceptions), as the Bears lost to the Eagles, 33–19.[18]

Miller lost his position as starting quarterback in 2002. Although he did not make a pass attempt thereafter, he received a Super Bowl ring as the backup quarterback for the 2004 New England Patriots.[19] Before the 2005 season, Miller signed with the New York Giants, but was released after having hip surgery and receiving an injury settlement.[20]

Career stats[]

NFL
Year Team GP Att Comp Pct Yds TD Int Rate
1995 Pittsburgh Steelers 3 56 32 57.1 397 2 5 53.9
1996 Pittsburgh Steelers 2 25 13 52.0 123 0 0 65.9
1999 Chicago Bears 5 174 110 63.2 1,242 7 6 83.5
2000 Chicago Bears 3 82 47 57.3 382 1 1 68.2
2001 Chicago Bears 14 395 228 57.7 2,299 13 10 74.9
2002 Chicago Bears 10 314 180 57.3 1,944 13 9 77.5
Career Totals 37 1,046 610 58.3 6,387 36 31 75.2

Source:[21]

WLAF
Year Team GP Att Comp Pct Yds TD Int Rate
1995 Frankfurt Galaxy   43 23 53.5 236 1 1 89.6

Source:[22]

Broadcasting career[]

File:Pat Kirwan, JJ Watt, Jim Miller, Feb 2019.jpg

Jim Miller (right) with J.J. Watt (center) and co-host Pat Kirwan, 2019

Miller served as the color commentator for Michigan State football radio broadcasts and hosted the weekly post-game call-in show from 2006 until he took a communications position with the Bears in 2013; he was replaced by Jason Strayhorn.[23] Miller currently serves as a studio analyst on Bears Postgame Live for NBC Sports Chicago, having replaced former Bears legend Richard Dent in 2007.[24] Miller is the current co-host of "Movin' the Chains" along with Pat Kirwan on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Channel 88.[25] Miller and Kirwan are featured as analysts in Longshot, a story mode within Madden NFL 18.[26]

References[]

  1. Caputo, Pat (July 29, 2012). "After Waterford Kettering, MSU and playing in NFL, Jim Miller still making his football mark". The Oakland Press. http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/OP/20120729/NEWS/307299971. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  2. Ebling, Jack (October 1, 1991). "QB or not QB". Lansing State Journal. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16962063/qb_or_not_qb/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  3. "Jim Miller". https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jim-miller-7.html. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  4. "Miller sees duty in Senior Bowl". Lansing State Journal. January 24, 1994. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16962680/miller_sees_duty_in_senior_bowl/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Steelers QB hurt in World League". News Record (North Hills, Pennsylvania). April 25, 1995. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16964223/steelers_qb_hurt_in_world_league/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  6. "Pittsburgh cuts backup QB Miller". Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia). August 24, 1997. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16962939/pittsburgh_cuts_backup_qb_miller/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  7. Ferguson, Doug (September 3, 1997). "Johnson's status is up in air". Tallahassee Democrat. Associated Press (Tallahassee, Florida). https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16962984/johnsons_status_is_up_in_air/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  8. Ferguson, Doug (September 24, 1997). "QB-rich Jaguars release Miller". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963026/qbrich_jaguars_release_miller/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  9. "Falcons sign Jim Miller". Lansing State Journal. October 28, 1997. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963062/falcons_sign_jim_miller/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  10. "Lions sign MSU's Miller as backup quarterback". Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan). March 3, 1998. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963485/lions_sign_msus_miller_as_backup/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  11. "Around the NFL". Los Angeles Times. August 25, 1998. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963518/around_the_nfl/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  12. "Cowboys sign quarterback Miller". The Monitor (McAllen, Texas). September 9, 1998. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963557/cowboys_sign_quarterback_miller/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  13. "Miller paid". Albuquerque Journal. September 12, 1998. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963597/miller_paid/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  14. "NFL". Detroit Free Press. December 2, 1998. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963636/nfl/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  15. Isaacson, Melissa (December 1, 1999). "NFL suspends Bears QB". Chicago Tribune. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963209/nfl_suspends_bears_qb/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  16. "2001 WK 19 NFC Division Playoff Philadelphia Eagles 12–5 @ Chicago Bears 13–3". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpLodIsX8BE&t=28m20s.
  17. "Hit on Miller costs $35,000". Moline, Illinois. January 24, 2002. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963737/hit_on_miller_costs_35000/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  18. "Eagles Playoff Replay (box score)". The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). January 20, 2002. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16964071/eagles_playoff_replay_box_score/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  19. Fitzgerald, Joe (January 28, 2018). "Fitzgerald: Behind Patriots success, there are some lessons to be learned". Boston Herald. http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/joe_fitzgerald/2018/01/fitzgerald_behind_patriots_success_there_are_some_lessons_to. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  20. Altavilla, John (May 18, 2005). "QB Miller Released By Giants". Hartford, Connecticut. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16963806/qb_miller_released_by_giants/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  21. "Jim Miller Stats". https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MillJi00.htm.
  22. "Jim Miller Statistics". http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=millejim004. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  23. Charboneau, Matt (May 16, 2013). "Michigan State radio analyst Jim Miller takes job with Bears". The Detroit News. http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130516/SPORTS0202/305160456/1361/Michigan-State-radio-analyst-Jim-Miller-takes-job-with-Bears%20. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  24. Jim Miller's profile at ESPN.com
  25. "SiriusXM NFL Radio – Shows". https://www.siriusxm.com/nfl. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  26. Vazquez, Suriel (September 4, 2017). "Madden 18's Longshot Made Me Care About Football". Game Informer. http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/09/04/madden-18s-longshot-made-me-care-about-football.aspx. Retrieved September 5, 2017.

Further reading[]

External links[]

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