McMillin, former BHS football coach, dies at 85

McMillin coached at Brighton, Adams City high schools

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Former Brighton High School football coach Pat Sandoval remembered a former coach of his, Jim McMillin, both as a time when Sandoval played and as a fellow coach.

McMillin died late last month at the age of 85. NBCSports.com led the original report. McMillin also played defensive back for the Denver Broncos and the thenOakland Raiders.

Sandoval played one year for McMillin and was his defensive back and quarterback coach for a couple of years. When Sandoval was the defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs (Tom Ritter was the head coach at the time), McMillin coached the defensive backs. e two also coached at Adams City High School for a year.

“He was a great man. I looked up to him and always wanted his opinion on life or football,” Sandoval said. “He was one person I looked up to in my life. I loved Coach Mac. He will be missed.”

“ e Raiders Family mourns the passing of Jim McMillin, who played defensive back for the Silver and Black from 1963-64,” the team wrote in a statement posted to NBCSports.com. “ e thoughts and prayers of the Raider Nation are with Jim’s wife, Phyllis, and the entire McMillin family at this time.”

McMillin was born Sept. 18. 1937, in Bound brook, New Jersey. He played college football at Colorado State University. McMillin joined the Broncos in 1961 and played two seasons in

Denver, making 28 starts before heading to Oakland. He played all 14 games with nine starts in 1963 and started the one game he played for Oakland in 1964 before returning to the Broncos during the 1964 season.

McMillin played seven games with two starts for the Broncos in 1964 and 12 games with three starts in 1965. He nished his career with 62 games played, 43 starts, 14 interceptions and four return touchdowns. Five of his interceptions came in his rookie season. McMillin played both corner and safety during his ve seasons.