Sam Mills

Mills played 12 years in the NFL after the USFL, but even his coach in the USFL, Jim Mora had some initial doubts if Sam could make it in the NFL. Mora, who coached Mills for three years with the Stars, remembers questioning himself when he brought Mills to training camp with the Saints. “I saw Sam in the defensive huddle around these huge linemen and he looked short,” Mora reflects. “These guys (the Saints) must think I’m an idiot for bringing him in here.”

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Mills leads "Doghouse" Defense in Philly - Pete Kugler with the stop on Tim Spencer

“I told George we weren’t doing anything until we see him hit,” says Carl Peterson, as the players weren’t in full pads yet -- only shorts and T-shirts.

Months later, as the Stars were gearing up for the season with another mini-camp, Jim Mora, now the coach, told Peterson the same thing about Mills: “We’ve got to cut that kid. It’s an embarrassment, he’s too short, this is pro football.”