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James Smith-Williams “respects what Coach Ron does for the best interest of the team.”

The firing of defensive line coach Sam Mills III sent shockwaves throughout the fanbase and media alike, but surprisingly, the news surprised the players and staff, too. First, Head Coach Ron Rivera broke the news to the assistant and now the new defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina before practice began Tuesday morning. Rivera then spoke with the team shortly after Tuesday’s practice to tell the players that Mills III would no longer be their coach.

Overall, I am sure it is hard to digest, regardless of how players and other coaches felt about the clear disconnect between Mills III and his unit.