Panthers assistant Sam Mills passes away

By Alex Guzman | Monday, April 18, 2005 | ( 0 )

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Carolina Panthers linebackers coach Sam Mills is dead at the age of 45 due to intestinal cancer.

The diminutive Mills was a fan favorite during his playing days because of his big heart. The 5'9" Mills was named to 5 Pro Bowl teams with the New Orleans Saints and the Panthers during 12 seasons in the National Football League.

There is a statue of him outside Carolina's Bank of America Stadium and he is the only player in the team's Hall of Honor. Mills has also been elected to Louisiana's Sports Hall of Fame. The New Jersey native is also a member of that state's Sports Hall of Fame. The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation, a charity based in Baltimore, bestowed Mills with the Johnny Unitas Tops in Courage Award a month ago.

After failing several times to catch on with NFL and Canadian Football League teams, Mills gave professional football one last shot with the USFL's Philadelphia Stars in 1983. When that league folded, his coach became the Saints' new boss. In 1986, Jim Mora made sure his young charge followed him to New Orleans.

After 9 extraordinary seasons for the Saints, Mills joined the expansion Panthers in 1995. During the franchise's first win against the New York Jets on October 15, 1995, he intercepted a shovel pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. Sam led the team in tackles in 1995 and 1996. The Panthers won the NFC West and reached the NFC title game, before losing against the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in '96.

He finished his playing career with 1,319 tackles while starting 173 of 181 games. Former Saints teammate Rickey Jackson (another great linebacker for New Orleans) stated, "I remember him being the toughest little man I've ever seen in my life. He was mighty mouse - he'd hit you hard as he could every time he hit you."

Mills joined the Panthers' coaching staff upon his retirement. His intestinal cancer was discovered during the summer of 2003. Two weeks prior, Panthers linebacker Mark Fields had been diagnosed Hodgkin's disease. Carolina restructured its coaching duties to take some of the responsibilities off Mills during his treatment.

Told he had a few months to live, Mills didn't miss a game that year. He scheduled treatment for off-days, and he often coached from the press box that year to preserve his strength.

He was an inspiration to the team as Carolina went on to the Super Bowl. Players wore his No. 51, along with Fields' 58, under their jerseys that season, and Mills gave an emotional pregame speech during their playoff run. Quarterback Jake Delhomme stated, "During the 2003 season, he told us that the way we played inspired him to keep fighting. I think it was the other way around. We were able to draw a lot more from him than he did from us."

He flew to Houston before the Super Bowl - after a round of chemotherapy - and joined Fields for a news conference. Sweating and holding on to the podium for balance, he said, "You have your good days and your bad days. I am just glad I am having days, you know?"

Mills is survived by his wife, Melanie, and 4 children; daughters Larissa and Sierra plus sons Sam III and Marcus.

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