Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2002
- Class:
- 1987
A Silver Spring, Maryland native, McMillan came to Mizzou as a defensive end but left as one of the top defensive backs in school history. He was an honorable mention all-American and first-team all-Big Eight Conference pick in 1987 when he had five pass interceptions for 119 yards in returns. He tied an NCAA season record by returning three interceptions for touchdowns that year. McMillan ended his Tiger career with 323 tackles, including 12 QB sacks. Following his senior year, he played in the Blue-Gray Game, the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. He was drafted by the NFL’s New York Jets and earned the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1988. He twice made the Pro Bowl (1988-89), and later played with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos. Erik’s father, Ernie McMillan, was an offensive lineman for the St. Louis Cardinals and Green Bay Packers and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Erik went on to work as a financial planner and high school football coach after the end of his playing career.
