Jim Mora had coached the Philadelphia Stars to 2 championships. When he became the head coach coach of the New Orleans Saints, he brought along his best defensive player,Sam Mills. Before the USFL he had tried out with the Cleveland Browns but was cut. He also tried out in the CFL, but was cut there as well. Before he tried out for the Philadelphia Stars he was teaching in a New Jersey High School.
The 5-foot-9-inch Mills had been named one of the USFL’s best linebackers and when he joined the Saints, he would have the distinction of playing with one of the best linebacking corps in NFL History, the Dome Patrol. Mills would play in 4 Pro Bowls with the Saints.
Mills left the Saints in 1994 to play with the Carolina Panthers and started every game during his 3 years as a Panther. He was named to the Pro Bowl for a fifth time in his career in 1996 and was an assistant coach for the Panthers until he passed away in 2005 from cancer at the age of 45.