Sam Mills is a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the fourth time
Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Sam Mills has been named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the fourth time.
Mills was named a finalist for the first time last year, making it to the cut of 15, but was not selected in the 2020 class. He was announced was one of the 25 modern-era semifinalists Tuesday for the 2021 class. He was also a semifinalist in 2016 and 2019.
Defensive end Jared Allen, who played for the Panthers during the team’s 2015 Super Bowl run, is also a semifinalist. This is his first year of eligibility.
Allen had two sacks and 27 tackles in 12 regular season games and had one tackle and one quarterback hit in Super Bowl 50.
Former Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme was one of the 130 players that were modern-era nominees for this year’s class, but did not make the cut. Peyton Manning is the only quarterback semifinalist in the class.
The semi-finalists will be trimmed down to 15 modern-era finalists in the coming weeks and the Class of 2021 will be determined and announced during the week leading up to Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Fla.
Mills is the only player in Panthers history who has his jersey number (No. 51) retired. His number was retired during the 2005 season following his death that year from intestinal cancer. He is also in the Panthers’ Hall of Honor and has a statue outside of Bank of America Stadium.
After spending nine years with the Saints (1986-1994), Mills was one of the original Panthers in 1995. He played in Carolina for three seasons, totaling 331 tackles, seven interceptions, 10 sacks and six forced fumbles. He finished his career with 1,265 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 11 interceptions and 22 forced fumbles. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and a one time First Team All-Pro selection during a remarkable 1996 season, in which the Panthers won the division and made the NFC Championship game.
His most notable accomplishment in Carolina was coining the phrase “Keep Pounding.” Mills spent time after his playing career ended as a Panthers assistant coach.
In August 2003, he began his battle with cancer and was given three or four months to live. More than three months later, he delivered his famous speech prior to the team’s 2003 home playoff game vs. the Cowboys, enforcing the message to “keep pounding,” no matter the obstacles. The Panthers reached the Super Bowl that year, and the phrase has become the team’s mantra.
His son, Sam Mills III, was an assistant coach with the Panthers from 2005-19 and is now a member of Ron Rivera’s staff in Washington as the defensive line coach.
The only former Panthers players in the Hall of Fame are Reggie White and Kevin Greene. Former general manager Bill Polian is also in the Hall of Fame.
