Throughout his outstanding 14-year NFL career, Brian Mitchell was always a team player.
It was never more evident than in front of a national television audience on Nov. 12, 1990, when former Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs told the rookie to go play quarterback because the vaunted Philadelphia Eagles' "Gang Green" defense had already knocked out two signal-callers that night.
You would think that Mitchell, who once played quarterback at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now known as Louisiana-Lafayette), might welcome this unsuspected opportunity at a chance to showcase his skills playing under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
You would think.
"I was scared as hell that night playing quarterback against that defense with Reggie White, Clyde Simmons, Jerome Brown, Andre Waters, Seth Joyner and seeing them knock eight or nine players out of the game that night," laughed Mitchell, recalling what would become known as the "Body Bag Game," which the Eagles went on to win 28-14.
"Honestly, I was terrified but it was Monday Night Football and it gave me some memories that will last a lifetime."
Mitchell, the 130th overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, was a proven team player long before that memorable Monday night game. Mitchell grew up the youngest of seven children back in Plaquemine, La. where his parents stressed the importance of always giving back to others, especially those less fortunate.
"My mom and dad have always been givers and giving back to the community, and it just came naturally growing up in the South. I always saw my parents helping and giving back to others," said Mitchell who now resides in Centerville, Va. "My dad always believed when you are getting blessed, then it is time to give someone else a blessing, so I always did charities once I got into the NFL and specifically when I arrived in Philadelphia. I wanted to make things more central so I knew exactly who I was helping and what I was doing."
The Redskins allowed the running back/kick returner extraordinaire to become a free agent prior to the 2000 season because the feeling in Washington was that he had lost a step. However, Eagles head coach Andy Reid and his staff felt differently about No. 30. Acquiring Mitchell paid immediate dividends during an early road contest at New Orleans in 2000, when Mitchell returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, capping off a 21-7 victory. It was one of Mitchell's all-time NFL record 13 career special teams touchdowns.
"That was fun because I told (former Eagles running back) Duce Staley before the game in the locker room, 'Don't be surprised if I break one today or maybe even two because I always have success down here in this place,'" Mitchell said. "It was a great feeling because I had about 25 family members at the game, being that I am from Louisiana. I always had a little vendetta against the Saints because they told me they were going to draft me and they never did. So every time I played them, I wanted to show them they made a mistake."
The following week, on national television, Mitchell ignited the Eagles offense as he combined for 290 total yards and scored two touchdowns in a 38-10 steamroll of the visiting Atlanta Falcons. During the game Mitchell took a kickoff back 89 yards for a score, and sealed the big night with an 85-yard touchdown run as he was filling in for Staley who suffered a season-ending Lis Franc sprain earlier in the game.
"In sports, people always talk about being in the zone, and on that night I really felt like I was in the zone," Mitchell said. "But that was a bittersweet night because Duce is a good friend of mine and seeing his season end on that night was tough for everybody."
Mitchell was a key component of an Eagles team that secured three consecutive playoff berths during in his time in Philadelphia. But despite all the victories, the one game that Mitchell will always remember for the rest of his life is the 2002 NFC Championship game against Tampa Bay, which would be the final Eagles game ever played at Veterans Stadium.
In the opening moments, Mitchell sent the stadium into absolute eruption when he returned the initial kickoff 70 yards, which led to a touchdown by Staley. It gave the Eagles an early lead, but it was squandered in the face of a 27-10 defeat.
Although it was a crushing loss, Mitchell will always remember the special atmosphere those Eagles fans created.
"On that day, that was the loudest stadium I have ever played in during my entire career. On the opening kickoff, I get the good return and then Duce is in the end zone," Mitchell said. "I thought we were going to the Super Bowl just like everyone else sitting in the stadium that day. The Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, but I still say that the 2002 team was the best team the Eagles ever had and we would have destroyed the Raiders in the Super Bowl that year."
After spending 2003 in New York with the Giants, Mitchell retired. Now, Mitchell, who is married with four children, is involved with a variety of sports media outlets both as a television and radio sports host within the Washington D.C. area. His résumé includes WUSA-TV in Washington where he works as an NFL analyst and he co-hosts a Sunday night program called "Sports Plus." He also dabbles with the public speaking circuit on occasion, and is an avid golfer.
He even took the time to offer up his predictions for the 2008 season.
"The New York Giants are the team to beat, but it comes down to a lot of little things in my opinion. Quarterback Eli Manning took a big step, but can he come back and be consistent again this year?" said Mitchell. "I really feel that Philadelphia is not as far away as many people think, and I am sure even a few Eagles fans are a little skeptical, but I feel the Eagles are a lot closer than many people think."
One player who should give the Eagles some sizzle especially on special teams is rookie return specialist DeSean Jackson, who set a Pac-10 Conference record with six punt returns for touchdowns in only three seasons at Cal. Not surprisingly, Mitchell thinks the rookie will have an immediate impact.
"The first thing I look for in a return guy is that he has to be fearless and from the clips I have seen on DeSean he is fearless," Mitchell said. "I also like his speed and shiftiness, but a return man cannot be scared because I think it is the most dangerous job on the football field. This kid is fearless so I think he will be successful."
Mitchell, a longtime enemy of the Eagles, was able to endear himself to the fans in just three seasons. He said Philadelphia fans will always appreciate effort, which is all he had to give whether it was at running back, return man or quarterback. All in all, Mitchell was a true team player.
"I truly gave the fans everything I had and possibly exceeded their expectations," Mitchell said. "You always hear about the negativity of the Philadelphia fans, but since I left I still go through Philadelphia, and I really get the feeling that I was a Philadelphia Eagle my entire life."
This is one reason why Mitchell, who is second all-time in the NFL in all-purpose yards (23,330) -- behind only Jerry Rice -- has devoted himself to a variety of charities over the years, including his very own Brian Mitchell Foundation, started in 2001 as a non-profit organization designed to enhance the lives of disadvantaged youth within the communities of Plaquemine, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.
Original Story:
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/S....
It was never more evident than in front of a national television audience on Nov. 12, 1990, when former Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs told the rookie to go play quarterback because the vaunted Philadelphia Eagles' "Gang Green" defense had already knocked out two signal-callers that night.
You would think that Mitchell, who once played quarterback at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now known as Louisiana-Lafayette), might welcome this unsuspected opportunity at a chance to showcase his skills playing under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
You would think.
"I was scared as hell that night playing quarterback against that defense with Reggie White, Clyde Simmons, Jerome Brown, Andre Waters, Seth Joyner and seeing them knock eight or nine players out of the game that night," laughed Mitchell, recalling what would become known as the "Body Bag Game," which the Eagles went on to win 28-14.
"Honestly, I was terrified but it was Monday Night Football and it gave me some memories that will last a lifetime."
Mitchell, the 130th overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, was a proven team player long before that memorable Monday night game. Mitchell grew up the youngest of seven children back in Plaquemine, La. where his parents stressed the importance of always giving back to others, especially those less fortunate.
"My mom and dad have always been givers and giving back to the community, and it just came naturally growing up in the South. I always saw my parents helping and giving back to others," said Mitchell who now resides in Centerville, Va. "My dad always believed when you are getting blessed, then it is time to give someone else a blessing, so I always did charities once I got into the NFL and specifically when I arrived in Philadelphia. I wanted to make things more central so I knew exactly who I was helping and what I was doing."
The Redskins allowed the running back/kick returner extraordinaire to become a free agent prior to the 2000 season because the feeling in Washington was that he had lost a step. However, Eagles head coach Andy Reid and his staff felt differently about No. 30. Acquiring Mitchell paid immediate dividends during an early road contest at New Orleans in 2000, when Mitchell returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, capping off a 21-7 victory. It was one of Mitchell's all-time NFL record 13 career special teams touchdowns.
"That was fun because I told (former Eagles running back) Duce Staley before the game in the locker room, 'Don't be surprised if I break one today or maybe even two because I always have success down here in this place,'" Mitchell said. "It was a great feeling because I had about 25 family members at the game, being that I am from Louisiana. I always had a little vendetta against the Saints because they told me they were going to draft me and they never did. So every time I played them, I wanted to show them they made a mistake."
The following week, on national television, Mitchell ignited the Eagles offense as he combined for 290 total yards and scored two touchdowns in a 38-10 steamroll of the visiting Atlanta Falcons. During the game Mitchell took a kickoff back 89 yards for a score, and sealed the big night with an 85-yard touchdown run as he was filling in for Staley who suffered a season-ending Lis Franc sprain earlier in the game.
"In sports, people always talk about being in the zone, and on that night I really felt like I was in the zone," Mitchell said. "But that was a bittersweet night because Duce is a good friend of mine and seeing his season end on that night was tough for everybody."
Mitchell was a key component of an Eagles team that secured three consecutive playoff berths during in his time in Philadelphia. But despite all the victories, the one game that Mitchell will always remember for the rest of his life is the 2002 NFC Championship game against Tampa Bay, which would be the final Eagles game ever played at Veterans Stadium.
In the opening moments, Mitchell sent the stadium into absolute eruption when he returned the initial kickoff 70 yards, which led to a touchdown by Staley. It gave the Eagles an early lead, but it was squandered in the face of a 27-10 defeat.
Although it was a crushing loss, Mitchell will always remember the special atmosphere those Eagles fans created.
"On that day, that was the loudest stadium I have ever played in during my entire career. On the opening kickoff, I get the good return and then Duce is in the end zone," Mitchell said. "I thought we were going to the Super Bowl just like everyone else sitting in the stadium that day. The Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, but I still say that the 2002 team was the best team the Eagles ever had and we would have destroyed the Raiders in the Super Bowl that year."
After spending 2003 in New York with the Giants, Mitchell retired. Now, Mitchell, who is married with four children, is involved with a variety of sports media outlets both as a television and radio sports host within the Washington D.C. area. His résumé includes WUSA-TV in Washington where he works as an NFL analyst and he co-hosts a Sunday night program called "Sports Plus." He also dabbles with the public speaking circuit on occasion, and is an avid golfer.
He even took the time to offer up his predictions for the 2008 season.
"The New York Giants are the team to beat, but it comes down to a lot of little things in my opinion. Quarterback Eli Manning took a big step, but can he come back and be consistent again this year?" said Mitchell. "I really feel that Philadelphia is not as far away as many people think, and I am sure even a few Eagles fans are a little skeptical, but I feel the Eagles are a lot closer than many people think."
One player who should give the Eagles some sizzle especially on special teams is rookie return specialist DeSean Jackson, who set a Pac-10 Conference record with six punt returns for touchdowns in only three seasons at Cal. Not surprisingly, Mitchell thinks the rookie will have an immediate impact.
"The first thing I look for in a return guy is that he has to be fearless and from the clips I have seen on DeSean he is fearless," Mitchell said. "I also like his speed and shiftiness, but a return man cannot be scared because I think it is the most dangerous job on the football field. This kid is fearless so I think he will be successful."
Mitchell, a longtime enemy of the Eagles, was able to endear himself to the fans in just three seasons. He said Philadelphia fans will always appreciate effort, which is all he had to give whether it was at running back, return man or quarterback. All in all, Mitchell was a true team player.
"I truly gave the fans everything I had and possibly exceeded their expectations," Mitchell said. "You always hear about the negativity of the Philadelphia fans, but since I left I still go through Philadelphia, and I really get the feeling that I was a Philadelphia Eagle my entire life."
This is one reason why Mitchell, who is second all-time in the NFL in all-purpose yards (23,330) -- behind only Jerry Rice -- has devoted himself to a variety of charities over the years, including his very own Brian Mitchell Foundation, started in 2001 as a non-profit organization designed to enhance the lives of disadvantaged youth within the communities of Plaquemine, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.
Original Story:
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/S....
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