Keith Millard
Encyclopedia
Keith Millard is a former American football
defensive tackle who played nine seasons for the Minnesota Vikings
, the Green Bay Packers
, the Seattle Seahawks
and the Philadelphia Eagles
from 1985 to 1993 in the National Football League
.
. He was a tight end and linebacker at Foothill High School
in Pleasanton. Keith played college football
at Washington State University
.
As a freshman Millard played tight end but was moved to defensive tackle as a sophomore, where he started first time as a junior. Millard was voted first-team All-Pac-10 as a senior and won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10's top defensive lineman.
in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft
and played one season in the USFL
. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
in 1988 and 1989. He currently holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single season by a defensive tackle with 18 in 1989, and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year
that season. Early in the following season he suffered a major knee injury causing him to miss the rest of that season. Although he came back to play for several more years, he was never again a dominant force.
Keith’s large stature was a huge asset in bulking up the Minnesota Vikings defensive line. His All-Pro honors and record-setting sacks make him a Minnesota Vikings great. Millard played in 93 games during his career, making 58 sacks, and two interceptions
.
Voted top 50 players to ever play for the Minnesota Vikings In 2010. He was ranked at #21
Los Angeles Dragons
and the XFL
, San Francisco Demons
, before getting a job with the Denver Broncos' coaching staff as the club's defensive line coach/pass rush specialist. He was in charge of creating and implementing all pass rush techniques used in the Broncos' defensive scheme. Under Millard, the Broncos had one of the toughest defenses in the league. Millard coached the Oakland Raiders Defensive Line from 2005-2007. On February 8, 2011, it was announced that Millard, along with Grady Stretz, will be a defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, specializing in pass rush. Keith has had great success developing players over the years. He specializes in Pass Rush and Run technique training.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle who played nine seasons for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1985 to 1993 in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Early and College Career
Keith Millard was born in Pleasanton, CaliforniaPleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
. He was a tight end and linebacker at Foothill High School
Foothill High School (Pleasanton, California)
Foothill High School is a four-year secondary school in Pleasanton, California. It was built in 1973. It is one of two comprehensive high schools and one alternative high school in the Pleasanton Unified School District. The current enrollment is 2,343 students. The school mascot is the falcon...
in Pleasanton. Keith played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
.
As a freshman Millard played tight end but was moved to defensive tackle as a sophomore, where he started first time as a junior. Millard was voted first-team All-Pac-10 as a senior and won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10's top defensive lineman.
NFL career
Keith Millard was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft
1984 NFL Draft
The 1984 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 1-2, 1984. No teams elected to claim any players in the regular supplemental draft that...
and played one season in the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
in 1988 and 1989. He currently holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single season by a defensive tackle with 18 in 1989, and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
that season. Early in the following season he suffered a major knee injury causing him to miss the rest of that season. Although he came back to play for several more years, he was never again a dominant force.
Keith’s large stature was a huge asset in bulking up the Minnesota Vikings defensive line. His All-Pro honors and record-setting sacks make him a Minnesota Vikings great. Millard played in 93 games during his career, making 58 sacks, and two interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
.
Voted top 50 players to ever play for the Minnesota Vikings In 2010. He was ranked at #21
Coaching career
After retirement as a player, Keith Millard went on to coaching. He coached at the college level and the Spring Football LeagueSpring Football League
The Spring Football League was a professional American football that existed for only part of one mini-season in 2000. Founded by several ex-NFL players such as Eric Dickerson, Drew Pearson, Bo Jackson, and Tony Dorsett, the SFL planned to use the four game mini-season to test cities, fans,...
Los Angeles Dragons
Los Angeles Dragons
The Los Angeles Dragons were a professional football team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Spring Football League in 2000. They would be coached by former Dallas Cowboys Doug Cosbie. The Dragons would play their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum....
and the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
, San Francisco Demons
San Francisco Demons
The San Francisco Demons were a short-lived springtime American football team based in San Francisco, California. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States...
, before getting a job with the Denver Broncos' coaching staff as the club's defensive line coach/pass rush specialist. He was in charge of creating and implementing all pass rush techniques used in the Broncos' defensive scheme. Under Millard, the Broncos had one of the toughest defenses in the league. Millard coached the Oakland Raiders Defensive Line from 2005-2007. On February 8, 2011, it was announced that Millard, along with Grady Stretz, will be a defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, specializing in pass rush. Keith has had great success developing players over the years. He specializes in Pass Rush and Run technique training.