Ron Rivera opened up his post-practice training camp today with a surprising announcement, Defensive Line Coach Sam Mills III has been fired and he will be replaced with assistant DL Coach Jeff Zgonina. Mills was brought to Washington, along with most of the coaching staff, from the Carolina Panthers after Rivera was fired during the 2019 season. He was with the Panthers since 2005, first as a defensive assistant, and eventually becoming the DL coach in 2018, and adding the title of game management coach in his final year there.
The Mills family has a long history in the NFL, and his father was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Sam Mills Jr. was a linebacker who played in the CFL and USFL early in his career, before playing for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. He is also a member of both of those team’s Rings of Fame.