Back when the Washington Commanders were still the Redskins and the fullback position wasn’t limited to a few key players in the NFL as it is now, one of the most memorable players for any DC fan over the past few decades was Mike Sellers.
In 1995, Sellers became the youngest player to sign a professional football contract when he joined the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.
He was 19 years old coming out of Walla Walla Community College in Washington state.
Basically, he needed a job.
In Canada, Sellers would get noticed by Redskins scouts and he joined the team in 1998. He would put together a solid nine-year career in the NFL, all but one of those seasons (2001) spent with the Redskins.
There were some rough patches in Cleveland in 2001 and a return to the CFL in mid-career. But from , the 6-3, 284-pound fullback. But from 2004-2011, the dominant physical force finally found a long-term career with the franchise now known as the Washington Commanders.
He was an instant fan favorite on teams that featured Sean Taylor, Clinton Portis and Santana Moss.
While Mike Sellers was never known as a flashy glamorous player, he came up in huge moments when it mattered the most, thriving as a blocker, ball-carrier and receiver.
Portis said he considered Sellers to be one of the top players in the game when the 33-year-old earned his first Pro Bowl honor in 2010, just one season before he hung up his cleats.
“He deserves it,” Portis said. “You’re talking about a guy who comes to work every day, he never misses practice, gives it all he has, and bangs his body all day to protect me.”
Mike Sellers didn’t take that honor lightly, as he joined rare company as he was the first Redskins fullback to make the Pro Bowl since Rob Goode in 1954. Him and Portis became the first fullback/running back combo to get voted to the Pro Bowl in Washington Commanders history.
“It has been a long time coming. This was one of my lifelong goals. I’m grateful for everybody and what they have helped me achieve.”
“Because of the ride it took, from going to high school, not going to [a four-year] college, then going to the NFL,” he said. “Then from being released in Cleveland to thinking I might not play again, to coming back here [to the Redskins] and reviving my career. It’s the road I took. It’s a good feeling.”
Mike Sellers is no stranger to adversity and recently opened up about losing his son in an interview to discuss the Washington Commanders newfound energy when Dan Snyder finally agreed to sell the team.
Sellers hadn’t been back since 2017, saying he didn’t feel alumni were appreciated the way they should’ve been, and that’s why many have chosen to stay away.
“Nobody wanted to be around that negativity and type of atmosphere – but one of the main reasons I came back it because it changed,” Sellers said, before breaking down on air: “I sacrificed a lot. I played through a death of my child because I owed it to the team, but you never got that reciprocation back from ownership. I know we had a job, but at the end of the day, we never felt appreciated. Now, the tide has turned and he’s gone, and I feel like a weight has been lifted.”
Former Washington Commanders/Redskins FB Mike Sellers Fighting For His Life And Needs Help
On Tuesday, multiple Washington beat reporters shared a post from a GoFundMe page From Sellers’ wife, who announced her husband has received nine heart treatments and is no longer able to provide for his family.
Here’s the post from the wife of the former Washington Commanders/Redskins fan favorite.
Hi, I am the wife of The Greatest Fullback that ever play the game in the National Football League. Washington Redskin fans knows him as The Caveman, but I know him has my husband, the father to our 3 beautiful humans ages 13,14, and a young adult. My husband is currently the Running Backs coach for one of the best high schools in the nation. For the past 6 months Mike has been in and out of one of the best hospitals in the nation at Tampa General Hospital.
Mike was able to help coach the football program to another National Championship in 2023. We have learned that my husband has a long road to recovery ❤️ . On this journey, Mike has received nine heart treatments for his condition, which he is no longer able to provide for our family.
Mike still has a couple more treatments to reach a stable healthy lifestyle. The goal for this fundraiser is to support our family for the rest of 2024. Reaching our goal, will provide our monthly and medical bills. As his wife, I choose to be the one to take care and nurse him back to being the fun loving, caring father, husband, brother, son, friend and coach. I will dedicate my life to making sure my family continues to live a healthy life. With that being said, I will have to take leave from my job as a Para Professional for our local high school in Riverview Florida.
I will like to thank the family and friends that have been there for us thus far. Thank you for your contribute to help our family get through this chapter of lives.
Obviously no amount is too little or too small. Prayers up for Mike Sellers and his family.
