Former player’s last game with Cardinals was a memorable one
By Jim Koch
Former linebacker Jamir Miller bid a fond farewell to the Arizona Cardinals during a 1999 postseason win over the Dallas Cowboys
Throughout the history of the Arizona Cardinals, scintillating playoff victories have been few and far between.
What happened on January 2nd, 1999, however, will be fondly remembered by both the long-suffering fans of the Cardinals and a linebacker who’d be making his final appearance with the franchise on that date.
Jamir Miller, a first-round draft selection of the Cards back in 1994, played out of his mind during Arizona’s 20-7 whitewashing of a heavily-favored Dallas Cowboys squad. On this day at least, Dallas’ vaunted offensive trio consisting of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin were no match for a motivated Redbirds defense led by the tall and rangy Miller.
Linebacker was a terror during his last outing with the Arizona Cardinals
The 6-foot-5, 252-pound Miller, a linebacker who excelled at UCLA, was coming off of an outstanding campaign for the Cardinals in 1998. In 16 starts, the Philadelphia native racked up an impressive 113 tackles and contributed three quarterback sacks to the team’s defensive unit as well.
When the Cards traveled to Texas Stadium for the club’s first postseason contest in 16 years, the determined Miller was virtually unstoppable. The 25-year old was a raging force, registering seven solo tackles and a pair of bone-crunching sacks against a bothered and bewildered Aikman.
One of Miller’s two takedowns of the Cowboys Hall of Fame passer was particularly brutal. A violent third-quarter blitz resulted in Miller’s knee being planted into Aikman’s throat, and simultaneously pushed the signal-caller’s chinstrap up over his eyes.
Miller and the Cardinals were vying for a shutout of “America’s Team”, but a meaningless Dallas touchdown late in the matchup thwarted their attempt.
Just months after Arizona‘s fabulous victory, Miller bolted from the desert. The free agent elected to sign with the Cleveland Browns, and would spend the final three seasons of his professional career performing in front of the “Dawg Pound”.
The talented Miller spent five campaigns with the Cards, accumulating 367 tackles and 13.5 sacks during that time.
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Noteworthy numbers, but what Miller accomplished for the Cardinals on that winter afternoon in Texas is what he’ll be best remembered for.