Linebacker Sam Mills
1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers
The problem with intangibles is that you can’t really codify them. Leadership from a player is best understood by talking with those who played with, coached, or watched the player in question. Among those who had that connection with Mills, who died of cancer in 2005, his value was unassailable. From his time with the great Saints 3-4 defenses of the 1980s to his tenure with the Panthers, Mills was the rare player who worked past whatever physical limitations he may have had, and maximized his athletic potential with a fierce intelligence and competitive spirit.
That said, the stats aren’t bad, either. Mills ranked fifth in his era with 1,142 tackles, and was a prototype for the modern linebacker who is smaller, rangier, and more able to do different things. At 5-foot-9 and 229 pounds, Mills played like someone four inches taller and 20 pounds heavier. The extent to which the Hall of Fame voters are able to put into the process the things that go beyond the numbers will ultimately decide Mills’ chances. This was his first year as a finalist.