Willie Miller (American football)

Willie Miller
No. 80, 82
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1947-04-26) April 26, 1947 (age 77)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:172 lb (78 kg)
Career information
College:Colorado St.
NFL draft:1975 / round: 12 / pick: 302
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:112
Receiving yards:1,786
Receiving TDs:15
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Willie T. Miller (born April 26, 1947) is a former American football wide receiver who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.[1]

Military service

After graduating from Hooper City High School in Birmingham, Alabama,[2] Miller enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained with the Special Forces.[1] In the Vietnam War, Miller earned the rank of staff sergeant.[3] He was awarded a Silver Star for retrieving his wounded platoon sergeant under heavy enemy fire.[1] He was awarded a Soldier's Medal for repeatedly trying to save another soldier who fell into a stream in a flash flood.[3] He was wounded by a bullet in his thigh and received a Purple Heart.[1]

College career

While stationed in El Paso, Texas, Miller met with the football coaches at Colorado State University at a game against the UTEP Miners, and they offered him a scholarship.[4] Miller was discharged from the army after five and a half years of service and enrolled at Colorado State in the fall of 1971.[4] During his three years on the varsity squad, Miller broke every Colorado State receiving record, and in 1974 the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame named him Athlete of the Year.[4]

Professional career

Miller was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the 12th round of the 1975 NFL Draft.[1] He never started for the Browns and missed the entire 1977 season with a dislocated elbow.[3] He was cut by the Browns and signed with the Los Angeles Rams, earning a spot in the starting lineup in 1978 and leading the team with 50 receptions for 760 yards and four touchdowns.[3] He was on the roster for the 1979 Rams team that went to the Super Bowl, although he did not play due to injury.[1] He retired from in 1983 after three more seasons with the Rams.[1]

Coaching career

Miller took a high school football coaching job at Hayes High School in Birmingham in 1984.[5] He was the head football coach at Birmingham's G.W. Carver in 2002 and 2003.[5][6] Miller was the head coach at E.B. Erwin High School from 2005 until he retired in 2013.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Socolow, Michael (January 29, 2019). "This Ram Was a Patriot". Slate.
  2. ^ Knight, Jake (June 22, 2005). "Head coach Miller recharging Eagles". Birmingham News. p. 7-N. After graduating from Hooper City High School in Birmingham, Miller's allegiance to his country sent him into the U.S. Army.
  3. ^ a b c d Anderson, Dave (January 7, 1979). "Willie Miller: The Ram from Vietnam". The New York Times. p. S5.
  4. ^ a b c Hirn, John (November 10, 2011). "Veteran's Day Feature: The Green Beret Ram". ColoradoAggies.com.
  5. ^ a b c Sentell, Jeff (August 22, 2013). "Center Point's Willie Miller retiring after nearly 30 years in coaching". Birmingham News. Al.com.
  6. ^ Roley, Veto (September 11, 2002). "Veteran Coach - Miller Applies Special Forces Skills to Building Carver Program". Birmingham News. p. 7-N. When U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sgt. Willie Miller was in the highlands of Vietnam teaching tribesmen the art of war, little did he know he was learning lessons he would apply to high school coaching. "I learned the ability to deal with different people and different lifestyles," said Miller, in his first year as Carver High School's head football coach.