Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Defensive Tackle Keith Millard started his professional career in 1985 with the Jacksonville Bulls in the USFL where he recorded 12 sacks. Millard then played eight seasons in the NFL. He had a split career. He played six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (1985-1990) and then missed 1991 due to a knee injury. He returned in 1992 with the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks and then finished his career in 1993 with the Philadelphia Eagles. During his time with the Vikings, Millard recorded 53 sacks, the most of any defensive tackle during that six-year span and ahead of Steve McMichael. Millard was in the Pro Bowl and named all-pro twice. He was Defensive Player of the Year in 1989. After his playing years, Millard was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Dragons in the Spring Football League in 2001, for the San Francisco Demons in the XFL in 2001, for the Denver Broncos (2001-2004), for the Oakland Raiders (2005-2008), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2011), and Tennessee Titans (2012).

Keith Millard's career was somewhat similar to Mike Reids's career with the Bengals. Though Millard started off with a bang collecting 23 sacks with two different teams in 1985, he had 51 sacks after his fifth year in the NFL, while Reid collected 49 sacks after his fifth season with the Bengals in just 64 games. Reid retired early to become a songwriter and performer while Millard had the devastating injury that shortened his career. Like TE Mark Bavaro, he just tried to hang on afterwards ...