Sam Mills, adoring referred to by fans and teammates as the “field mouse” – a name he publicly admitted to hating – is #7 on my list of all time best Saints. The nickname was given due to his diminuitive stature as he stood at only 5’9″ tall. As many people said about him, though: “he was short but he wasn’t small”. Mills was the captain of the “Dome Patrol” defense the Saints showcased that just hurt people. Never did the Saints have a defense that was more dominating, and Mills was arguably the best player on that unit. His tackling was superb, but what separated Mills from most NFL players was how intelligent he was. No one picked up on plays or playcalling trends quicker than Sam Mills.
Mills plays for the Saints from 1986 to 1994 for 9 seasons before going to the expansion Carolina Panthers where he would enjoy 3 more very productive seasons, before becoming a Panthers’ coach.
Mills made the Pro Bowl five times, including four times as a Saint. Sadly, Mills passed away while coaching the Panthers at the very young age of 45. He passed in 2005 due to instestinal cancer. He was told he only had a few months to live when he was diagnosed, but in true Sam Mills fashion, he showed determination and fighting spirit till he end. He lived for almost 2 more years after being diagnosed, and he continued to coach during his battle. No one could ever argue that Sam Mills was all heart.
RIP #51 and thanks for the memories. You were the best.
The “List”
10. Eric Martin
9. Pat Swilling
8. Archie Manning
7. Sam Mills
to be continued…
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