Sam Mills

Sam Mills, an undersized linebacker who became a Pro Bowl player with the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers and was later an assistant coach for the Panthers, died Monday after fighting cancer for nearly two years, Panther officials said. He was 45. Mills, who was diagnosed with cancer of the small intestine in August 2003 but continued to coach Carolina's linebackers between chemotherapy treatments, died at his home in Charlotte, N.C.

Sam Mills, an undersized linebacker who became a Pro Bowl player with the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers and was later an assistant coach for the Panthers, died Monday after fighting cancer for nearly two years, Panther officials said. He was 45. Mills, who was diagnosed with cancer of the small intestine in August 2003 but continued to coach Carolina's linebackers between chemotherapy treatments, died at his home in Charlotte, N.C.

The St. Louis Rams played as if they wanted to extend their season. The Carolina Panthers acted as if they couldn't wait for theirs to end. The Rams ended their first year under Coach Dick Vermeil with a 30-18 victory over the error-prone Panthers on Saturday, giving St. Louis three victories in its last four games. After the game, 5-foot-9 Panther linebacker Sam Mills announced his retirement after 12 years in the NFL and five Pro Bowls.

In the NFL if you are sick or injured, it's best to go away. You are nothing but a reminder of how instantaneously infallibility evaporates in this league, how quickly a knee shreds or a leg snaps or a shoulder separates or a concussion leaves you too weak and woozy to stumble onto the field. So quickly that, in a slow-moving second, an NFL game can end, a season can end, a career can end.

As the NFC championship game ended and the scoreboard wasn't going to change -- it would say Carolina 14, Philadelphia 3 -- Panther linebacker coach Sam Mills looked up and pointed to the sky. Mills, who was an original Panther and the first player inducted into the Carolina Panther Hall of Fame, has cancer of his small intestine. Mills was diagnosed shortly before the season started and has coached as much as possible between treatments.

If it's any encouragement for Atlanta Coach Jerry Glanville, the New Orleans Saints' offensive linemen agree that Jessie Tuggle is one of the finest inside linebackers in the NFL. So, at the very least, the Falcons (10-6) have earned more than a little respect going into today's NFC wild-card game against the Saints (11-5) in the Superdome. The Saints are champions of the NFC West, and the Falcons are runners-up. It's the third meeting this season between the Saints and Falcons.

In the NFL if you are sick or injured, it's best to go away. You are nothing but a reminder of how instantaneously infallibility evaporates in this league, how quickly a knee shreds or a leg snaps or a shoulder separates or a concussion leaves you too weak and woozy to stumble onto the field. So quickly that, in a slow-moving second, an NFL game can end, a season can end, a career can end.

Would you buy a used car from Sam Mills? Sure you would. What you wouldn't do, and Eric Dickerson can vouch for this, is try to sneak past him with a football. Mills, a Pro Bowl linebacker and aspiring auto magnate, feels the same away about ballcarriers as he does about wisecracking customers who say that if a car salesman's lips are moving, he's lying. Dickerson, who was then with the Rams, found out the hard way one climate-controlled day in the New Orleans Superdome in 1986.

Linebacker Sam Mills scored one touchdown and set up another to lead the Baltimore Stars to a 34-21 United States Football League victory over the Orlando Renegades Friday night. Mills' efforts included a 20-yard return of a pass interception for a touchdown, and a tackle that caused a fumble and gave Baltimore the ball at the Orlando 22. Those two plays in the first four minutes of the second half helped the Stars quickly erase Orlando's 21-10 halftime lead.

Fullback Kevin Mack ended his two-month retirement and signed with the Cleveland Browns. . . . Linebacker Sam Mills of the New Orleans Saints had surgery on his right knee to drain it after an infection was discovered and will not play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. . . . Starting right cornerback Phillippi Sparks of the New York Giants will be sidelined for at least six weeks because of a sprained right foot. . . .

As the NFC championship game ended and the scoreboard wasn't going to change -- it would say Carolina 14, Philadelphia 3 -- Panther linebacker coach Sam Mills looked up and pointed to the sky. Mills, who was an original Panther and the first player inducted into the Carolina Panther Hall of Fame, has cancer of his small intestine. Mills was diagnosed shortly before the season started and has coached as much as possible between treatments.

The St. Louis Rams played as if they wanted to extend their season. The Carolina Panthers acted as if they couldn't wait for theirs to end. The Rams ended their first year under Coach Dick Vermeil with a 30-18 victory over the error-prone Panthers on Saturday, giving St. Louis three victories in its last four games. After the game, 5-foot-9 Panther linebacker Sam Mills announced his retirement after 12 years in the NFL and five Pro Bowls.

If it's any encouragement for Atlanta Coach Jerry Glanville, the New Orleans Saints' offensive linemen agree that Jessie Tuggle is one of the finest inside linebackers in the NFL. So, at the very least, the Falcons (10-6) have earned more than a little respect going into today's NFC wild-card game against the Saints (11-5) in the Superdome. The Saints are champions of the NFC West, and the Falcons are runners-up. It's the third meeting this season between the Saints and Falcons.

Would you buy a used car from Sam Mills? Sure you would. What you wouldn't do, and Eric Dickerson can vouch for this, is try to sneak past him with a football. Mills, a Pro Bowl linebacker and aspiring auto magnate, feels the same away about ballcarriers as he does about wisecracking customers who say that if a car salesman's lips are moving, he's lying. Dickerson, who was then with the Rams, found out the hard way one climate-controlled day in the New Orleans Superdome in 1986.

Raider defensive end Howie Long, who has strained left knee ligaments, was upgraded Thursday from out to doubtful for Monday night's game in New Orleans. Long practiced Thursday. Wide receiver Sam Graddy (ankle) and safety Elvis Patterson (groin) are questionable, and defensive end A.J. Jimmerson (knee) and guard Steve Wisniewski (knee) are out.

Herschel Walker will concentrate on an old rivalry with Sam Mills tonight, then consider issuing another challenge to heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson in the future. Walker leads the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) in both rushing and receiving. Mills is a Pro Bowl inside linebacker with the New Orleans Saints (3-1). "Yes, sir, I remember Sam Mills from the USFL," Walker said. "Very well. "He is a very hard-nosed linebacker.