Leaders of Men: Marcus Mills and Nicholas Benjamin Earns GDFL Recognition

Leaders of Men: Coach Marcus Mills Earns GDFL Recognition

The Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL) has announced Tennessee Vikings owner and head coach Marcus Mills as one of two finalists for the GDFL Leaders of Men Award. This honor is reserved for coaches who make a lasting impact not only on the field but also in their communities.

For Coach Mills, the recognition comes in his very first year as both a team owner and head coach. The Tennessee Vikings launched in July 2024 but didn’t hit the field until the 2025 summer season. What began as a new program just looking to “get their feet wet” in the league has turned into something far greater: a nationally ranked team playing for the GDFL National Championship.

“I had no idea we’d be here so fast,” said Mills. “When I started, I just wanted to compete against the best talent. I believed we could win some games, but making it to the championship in our first season is truly a blessing.”

A Mission Beyond Football

From day one, Mills built the Vikings with a vision larger than wins and losses. His players are required to take part in community outreach, attending church services twice a month, hosting youth football camps, feeding the homeless, and volunteering in local neighborhoods.

The Vikings were created to provide young men with opportunities to do something positive with their talents and lives. Some players are former high school standouts who never got the chance to play in college due to academics. Others are athletes whose careers were derailed by poor choices or legal troubles. For all of them, the Vikings are more than a team — they’re a second chance.

“Football can change lives. That’s why I started this team — to give guys in our community an outlet, a brotherhood, and a path forward,” Mills explained.

From Player to Mentor

Football has always been at the center of Mills’ life. He began playing at just eight years old, earned a scholarship to play at Delta State University, and later suited up professionally for the Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League. After returning home to Memphis, he played for several minor league teams including the Memphis Blast, Tennessee Hurricanes, and Memphis Panthers before retiring in 2022. That same year, his career came full circle with his induction into the Minor League Football Hall of Fame.

Now, just three years later, he’s leading his own team to the pinnacle of minor league football.

A Coach. A Leader. A Difference Maker.

Coach Marcus Mills’ story reflects what the GDFL is all about: development, opportunity, and community. His nomination for the Leaders of Men Award underscores not only his team’s success on the field, but the lives being changed off it.

Coach Nicholas Benjamin – Huntsville Rockets

Nicholas “Nick” Benjamin is a proven leader on and off the field. Now in his 15th year with the Huntsville Rockets, Benjamin has held nearly every role in the organization — player, offensive coordinator, head coach, co-owner, and now owner. As head coach (2019–2024), he compiled a stellar 45-7 career record, including a 12-5 playoff record, one league title, and a National Championship.

“The Rockets organization has always held a special place in my heart. It gave me the opportunity to continue playing the game I love at a high level. But more importantly, we pride ourselves on helping young men reach higher heights — whether that’s advancing to the next level of football or simply becoming better men.”

A native of East Brewton, Alabama, Benjamin was a four-sport athlete at W.S. Neal High School, where he helped secure two state championships in track and field. Excelling in both athletics and academics, he graduated fifth in his class and went on to earn a scholarship at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

At Southern, Benjamin was a decorated student-athlete — a two-time Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Western Division Champion, SWAC Conference Champion, and Black College National Champion in track and field. He graduated with honors from the SU Honors College in mechanical engineering, where he was named a three-time SWAC Academic All-American, an LS-LAMP Scholar, and a General Motors Scholarship recipient. He is also a member of the Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Honor Society. Later, he earned a master’s degree in Project/Program Management with a concentration in Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology.

A MISSION Beyond football 

Benjamin has built a distinguished 17-year career at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where he serves as a Payload Operations Director. In this role, he directs 24/7 science operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS), serving as the single point of authority to the Flight Director at Johnson Space Center. Over his NASA career, he has held numerous certifications in operations and planning and was selected for the NASA FIRST Program, the agency’s leadership initiative to develop its next generation of leaders. He was also detailed to the Executive Management Team at Marshall in 2019.

Benjamin is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., an active mentor, and a passionate advocate for youth development. Through podcasts, lectures, and community events, he continues to inspire young people and professionals alike. He also pursues his love of music as a writer and producer, collaborating with both local and international artists.

Faith, discipline, and vision drive everything Benjamin does. Whether on the sidelines with the Huntsville Rockets, in the control room at NASA, or in the community, he embodies what it means to be a true Leader of Men.

ABOUT THE GDFL

Founded to provide a premier platform for development football, the Gridiron Developmental Football League has grown into a national powerhouse, giving athletes, coaches, and organizations the opportunity to compete at the highest level. The new GDFL Sports Network further strengthens the league’s brand by offering expanded coverage, media access, and entertainment to fans nationwide.

Contact:

Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL)

📧 info@gdfl.org

🌐 www.gdfl.org