Sam Mills was one of the shortest and greatest linebackers ever to play the game of professional football

I first met Sam Mills in the 1960s when I was 6 years old on the playground of Sea View Manor Projects in Long Branch, N.J. He was a scrappy, tough kid who loved football.

Remembering Sam Mills playing football in the Long Branch projects as a kid

In the projects, football was a big deal. The sport was an outlet for us kids to show off our athletic talents. In the triangle of the projects there were three football teams: Grant Court, Garfield Court and Seaview Manor. Grant and Garfield courts were named after the 18th and 20th U.S. Presidents.

Sam played for Seaview Manor and even at the age of eight, everybody knew that he was a special football player and was destined for stardom.

As a star running back for the Grant Court team and quick as a rabbit, I always had a hard time getting past Sam who excelled at the linebacker position. Sam made sure that you felt the power of his hits when tackling you. So, he was a feared opposition even as a kid.

Sam continued to make a name for himself as a middle linebacker in Pee-Wee little league football and when he reached high school in the mid 1970s, he was considered to be one of the best at his position in the state of New Jersey and across the country.

High School football

In the 1976 – 1977 season, Sam showed off his talents when Long Branch High School beat undefeated Matawan High school who was ranked the number one team in New Jersey and in the country. Behind the defensive play of Sam, Long Branch upset powerful Matawan 18 to 6 to take over the number one position at the Jersey Shore.

College

Everyone in Long Branch knew that we had a special player in Sam Mills and after high school he continued his success at Montclair State in New Jersey where he dazzled the fans with his defensive play. His record of 501 tackles in a single season still stands today.

Sam Mills’ professional football journey

After his college career, Sam was eager to show the nation and world the gift that God had blessed him with. But it wouldn’t come easy for Sam as his short statue of only being 5′ 9″ in height played a key role in his initial rejection by the professional football league.

Most people that played his position as a professional were over 6 feet tall. But Sam didn’t let that stop him. He continued to fight for a position in the game that he loved so much.

Sam never gave up

I remember a conversation that I had with Sam while he was working as a security guard at the famous haunted mansion in Long Branch. Our conversation was special. I knew that he respected me for my dedication to education and for my respect for the game of football as he watched my brothers excelled at the game as he was growing up.

I walked up to Sam while working. We talked about football and his future to play at the professional level. I knew that he had been rejected because of his height. I told Sam to never give up because he deserved to be on a professional team. Sam had a lot of faith.  He knew that as long as he stayed prayed up and continued to be positive, God would do the rest. God did exactly that and the rest is history.

USFL to NFL

Sam became one the best football players ever to play the game at the professional level. A new football league called United State Football League (USFL) opened up and Sam left his mark with the Philadelphia Stars.

He went on to have a beautiful career with the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers.

I remember chatting with Sam at the Home Depot in Eatontown, N.J. after all of his success. I told him how proud I was. Sam immediately gave God the credit and the glory for everything that he experienced.

Legacy

Sam went home to God on April 18, 2005 after a bout with intestinal cancer.

He is sorely missed by all who knew him. He left all his family and friends with a lot of great memories.

Rest in peace Sam, we love you here at Unheard Voices.

To learn more about Sam Mills go to here on Wikipedia