Matt Millen may be the least popular man in Detroit, but his family is still welcome.
The Lions have scheduled a workout with Collin Mooney, a former Army running back who is married to Millen’s daughter. Mooney is currently stationed as a First Lieutenant at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, but he has completed the mandatory two years of active duty service since graduating from West Point in 2009 and is permitted to leave Fort Sill if the Lions offer him a contract.
“I’ve been waiting for two years now to get that call,” Mooney told the Detroit News. “I’m very excited about it and I’m very appreciative that they’re giving me the opportunity. I just want to get in there and play a football game and see if I can make the team. If it doesn’t work out with Detroit, hopefully this is a jumping point.”
Mooney played at Army with Millen’s son, Marcus Millen, and Marcus introduced him to his sister, Michalyn Millen. Mooney says his father-in-law, who ran the Lions’ front office from 2001 to 2008, has helped him stay ready in case an NFL team calls.
“He’s given me plenty of advice,” Mooney said of Matt Millen. “He was in the league for 13 years and he knows the business. He’s got a lot of great advice he’s given me. He told me what I needed to do going into camp and the way to give myself the best opportunity to stick around. He’s helped me out a lot.”
Mooney is West Point’s all-time single-season rushing leader with 1,339 yards in 2008. Mooney was a college teammate of current Lions linebacker Caleb Campbell.
