RIP Fred Miller—A Fine Defensive Tackle

 By John Turney 

Fred Miller

News broke yesterday that Fred Miller, a defensive tackle for the Baltimore Colts, passed away Sunday, February 26th. He was 82.

Former teammate Bill Curry tweeted, "Fred Miller was a wonderful person and a great teammate. He was our defensive captain. In six years he didn’t miss one practice or game. He was full speed . . .  Incomparable teammate and leader!"

Miller was drafted out of Louisiana State University in the seventh round by the Colts in the 1962 NFL draft (as a future) and secured a starting job as a rookie. A spot he held for ten years, missing just seven games even though he battled injuries throughout and even an ulcer that he developed in 1965.

He played in NFL Championship games in 1964 and 1968, winning the latter to advance the Super Bowl III. He also played one of his best games ever in Super Bowl V, a defeat of the Dallas Cowboys. 

Miller's reputation was as a steady, mistake-free player with flawless technique. He was not a big defensive tackle for his day (listed at 250 but played at 240-242) but had excellent strength, was very mobile and had terrific pursuit.

He excelled as a run-stopper but could put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. In 1964 he recorded ten sacks and ended his career with 52, averaging 7½ from 1964-68.  

Miller was a second-team All-Pro in both 1967 and 1968 and made the Pro Bowl three straight seasons from 1967-69.

In his last couple of seasons, Miller battled two bad knees as well as offensive guards and conquered both. "He's got to be one of the best defensive tackles in the league. He's never had a bad game", said his defensive line coach John Sandusky in 1970, "He's got to be playing in pain but he'd never tell you."

In 1973 Washington coach George Allen acquired Miller to be part of his famed "Over the Hill Gang", a collection of older players he'd traded for and that help propel a struggling franchise to the playoffs the previous two seasons.

Miller was part of then Colts' general manager Joe Thomas' so-called "purge" - trading away the core of the Colts team like Johnny Unitas, Tom Matte, Bubba Smith, Bill Curry, Norm Bulaich, Dan Sullivan, Jerry Logan, Charlie Stukes, Billy Newsome, Tom Nowatzke, Jim O'Brien and others.

Miller played the preseason with Washington but was waived in early September and subsequently signed to the team's taxi squad and ultimately retired ending his decade-plus in the NFL.

In his three seasons at LSU, he played both offensive and defensive tackle and played on two SEC champion teams, two bowl games, the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl, both victories.

As a senior at LSU, he was an All-American (FWAA) as well blocking for Heisman runner-up Jerry Stovall in 1962 on offense and playing on a defense that allowed just 34 points and posted five shutouts.

Prior to his final year as a Tiger he was the captain of the defensive unit nicknamed the "Chinese Bandits", the defensive platoon in a three-platoon system designed to keep players rested during games in an era was player substitution was limited.

After the 1963 Orange Bowl Miller played in three college All-Star games, the Senior Bowl, the All-American Bowl, and the Chicago College All-Star game, beating the Green Bay Packers in the charity match.

He is a member of LSU’s Modern Day Team of the Century, the  LSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Born in Homer, Louisiana, he attended Homer High School, starting three years and lettering four as an offensive lineman.