Mark McMillian - Outstanding Athletic Achievement

It is a few minutes after 6:00 am on any random fall day at Hamilton High School in Chandler, AZ. Freshman defensive backs coach Mark McMillian likes to get to the field early with his son Mark junior, to not only get a head start on the day, but to let the players know that being on time for the daily 6:20 practice is important. But being early is even better. Some might wonder why a retired nine-year veteran of the NFL is toiling on a high school field when he could be a sports radio host, a coach at the all-star level for a group promoting players to help them get scholarships or a budding chef looking to land his own reality TV cooking show.

The truth is that McMillian is all of these things and much more. Almost 15 years since he played his last NFL game, McMillian has become a renaissance man of sorts, spreading the word about the blessed life he is leading which includes being inducted into the Glendale College Athletic Hall of Fame for Outstanding Athletic Achievement.

“It is a little but surreal to me to be honored as a HOF inductee, especially with Coach John Cicuto who was and still is my mentor and a father figure to me when I was at Glendale. I did not have much experience as a football player when I came to Glendale, just a few games in high school,’’ said McMillian. “I was a little rough around the edges about who I thought I was as a person and an athlete and Coach Cicuto helped straighten me out and keep me focused towards my goal of transferring to an NCAA Division I school."

After an All-American season for the Vaqueros in 1988, McMillian had signed to play for the University of Pittsburgh .But an academic issue derailed those plans and ultimately changed the recruiting landscape as he signed with the University of Alabama instead and had two outstanding seasons for the Crimson Tide.

Nicknamed “Mighty Mouse” for his 5-foot-7 inch frame and tremendous leaping ability, McMillian was a 10th round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992.His NFL career spanned nine years from 1992 to1999 playing for five teams including the Eagles from 1992-95,theNew Orleans Saints in1996, the Kansas City Chiefs from 1997 to 1998 and the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins in 1999.

As a lockdown cornerback, McMillian intercepted 23 passes over his nine-year career despite having to cover wide receivers like NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who stood 6-foot-2. He also returned three picks for touchdowns and he led the NFL in interception yards in 1997 with 274.

McMillian has been involved in a variety of ventures since his retirement but points to his radio work as a co-host of his hard-hitting program in Arizona from2011-13 and his current work commenting on the Philadelphia Eagles. His recent association with the Blue-Grey All-Star Game organization is also important to him for what it does to help high school players get college scholarships.

“Mark McMillian was one of the best cornerbacks that we have ever had at Glendale College. His determination to succeed was second to none and I always use him as an example of what can be accomplished by hard work and desire,’’ said his former coach John Cicuto. “His size was never an issue for him or us and he made the most of his ability and I could not be more proud of him and the person he has become.’’