I’m sorry, Detroit Lions fans, for mentioning a name that must make you want to gag every time you hear it. But before he was a GM, he was a football player, and he was a hell of a lot better at that.

The sixth player in the 44 for 44 is Matt Millen.

Growing up in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, Millen got his first taste of highly competitive football at an early age.  Even today, the Lehigh Valley conference proves as a testing ground for so many high school players, and back in the 1970s, the only difference was the conference’s name–it was called East Penn back then.  The other difference: before Rivals and Scout, message boards and blogs, before recruiting was a truly national game, Penn State could go up to Allentown and get just about every kid they wanted.  And they definitely wanted Millen, who had established himself as one of the best players in the Northeast.

Arriving on campus in the fall of 1976, then then-18 year old Millen made an immediate impact.  Alongside fellow freshman defensive tackle Bruce Clark, Millen worked his way into the rotation, and then the starting lineup of a middling Penn State team.  While the Lions went just 7-5, capping off a mediocre regular season with a 20-9 loss to Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl, Millen made his presence felt, racking up 52 tackles (32 solo), with 3 tackles for a loss and 3 sacks–the third most on the team.  For the versatile Millen, who played some linebacker that year, perhaps the more impressive feat was his leading the team in interceptions, with 3.

The struggles of the previous year would soon be forgotten, as Penn State raced out to a fast start in 1977.  Millen became a key piece of a Nittany Lion defense that allowed more than 20 points on just three occasions, and, other than an early-season loss to #6 Kentucky, Penn State faced little resistance the rest of the way.  Unfortunately for the Lions, an easy schedule prevented them from receiving much national attention.  Penn State fell from #4 to #10 after the Kentucky game and didn’t have much of a chance to make another splash–Penn State’s only other ranked opponent was #10 Pittsburgh, who they defeated the final week of the regular season, 15-13.  Rather than playing in any of the major four bowls, as their record would’ve dictated, Penn State was relegated to the Fiesta, where they took care of #18 Arizona, 42-30.  Finishing 11-1, Penn State finished the year ranked just 5th, behind every other 1-loss team.  But that season did more than set up the 1978 season, it marked the breakout campaigns for a number of Nittany Lions, perhaps none moreso than Matt Millen.  His 63 tackles (38 solo), ranked 3rd and 2nd, respectively, on the team, and he led the team with 6 sacks and 5 tackles for a loss.  Millen picked off one more pass, forced two fumbles, and recovered two others, as he started to forge his path to Penn State greatness.

As the page turned to 1978, Penn State was set to build off the previous year, and the hype was there nationally, as the Lions opened the season ranked 3rd in the country.  Once again, however, Joe Paterno’s squad faced few tough opponents, and Penn State never had the chance to jump into the top 2 until week 7, when Arizona State defeated then-#2 USC.  Three weeks later, Penn State moved to #1 when Nebraska beat Oklahoma in their annual rivalry game, and they finished the regular season with top billing in the nation.  It was a stifling defense that carried Penn State most of the way, one that pitched three shutouts and allowed more than 15 points just twice.  Matt Millen had become one of the leaders on that team, settling in at defensive tackle and racking up 9 sacks, 56 tackles and 13 tackles for a loss.  And before Penn State set out to take on #2 Alabama in the de facto national championship team in the Sugar Bowl, Millen was one of 6 Nittany Lions named an All-American.  Penn State would lose the game, 14-7, but the Penn State defense, led by Millen did their part, forcing 10 Alabama punts and holding the Tide to 91 yards passing.  It just wasn’t enough to power past the tide, who shut down the Penn State offense with 7 sacks of Chuck Fusina, and a goal line stand, pushing back Matt Suhey and Mike Guman late in the fourth quarter.

The summer of 1979 was not kind to Matt Millen.  Penn State lost many of the pieces who had guided them to consecutive 11-win seasons, and Millen was asked to be a leader, chosen as one of the captains by coach Paterno.  But Millen walked out of a pre-season practice, simply refusing to make the required run.  For two days, Millen was off the team.  Fortunately for all parties, he and Paterno soon worked out their differences, and he later completed the drill easily.  But the seeds of discord had been planted.  Though Penn State opened the year ranked 7th, they fell to 1-2, after a 27-14 loss to Texas A&M and a 42-17 blowout at the hands of Nebraska.  And while Penn State would rebound to finish the year 8-4, capped off by a Liberty Bowl win over Tulane, they would go most of the way without Matt Millen, whose back injury prevented him from repeating his standout season of the year before.  In limited playing time, Millen managed just 35 tackles and 4 sacks.

But Millen was one of the first of his kind at Penn State–a disruptive defensive lineman who made his mark not by stuffing the run but by getting after the quarterback.  And because Millen made his mark just as the passing game started to become prevalent, he left Penn state as the #1 sack leader, and as #2 all-time in tackles for a loss.  Even today, he ranks 5th and 10th all-time, respectively.

Drafted in the 2nd round by the Oakland Raiders, Millen brought some of his winning ways to the NFL.  A one-time Pro Bowler, Millen won four super bowls during his time in the pros.  After he retired, Millen was hired by Fox as a color commentator before leaving to join the Detroit Lions management team.  Mercifully fired in 2008, Millen now broadcasts games for ESPN.