Johnny Mitchell Jr. (born January 20, 1971) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
for the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
,
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
and
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at the
University of Nebraska
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
.
Early years
Mitchell was raised by his grand parents on a 150-acre farm in
Tchula, Mississippi
Tchula is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,650 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, down from 2,332 in 2000.
A 2015 article in ''The Guardian'' described it as the poor ...
, avoiding the difficult neighborhood in Chicago where his parents lived. He moved back to Chicago at age 16, to pursue his education and sports formation.
He graduated from
Simeon Career Academy
Neal F. Simeon Career Academy (formerly known as Westcott Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Career Technical Academy), locally known simply as Simeon, is a public four-year vocational high school locate ...
(then known as Simeon Vocational High School) in 1989, where his athletic ability allowed him to play multiple positions including
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
and
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
.
As a sophomore, he was a member of the state championship team. As a senior, he helped his team reach the city finals and received All-state honors.
College career
Although he had initially agreed to attended the
University of Miami
The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...
, after
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Jimmy Johnson left to coach the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
of the
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
, he accepted a football scholarship from the
University of Nebraska
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
.
Mitchell became the first freshman from Nebraska to make the All-Big Eight first-team since 1946. He was second on the team in receiving, while setting a school record with a 25.6-average per reception and tying the school record for touchdown receptions by a tight end in a season (7). He also set a school bowl record, when he had 5 receptions for 138 yards and one touchdown against
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
in the
1991 Florida Citrus Bowl
The 1991 Florida Citrus Bowl was a college football bowl game played after the 1990 regular season, with national championship implications. Played on January 1 in Orlando, Florida, the 45th edition of the Citrus Bowl featured the Georgia Tech Yell ...
.
In 1991, he set school records for tight ends when he had a team-leading 31 receptions for 534 yards and five touchdowns. He also set two school single-game records for receptions and yards by a
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
in the season finale against the
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
, when he had 7 catches for 137 yards.
He declared for the
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft, also called the NFL Draft or (officially) the Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment. Each team is given a position in the drafting o ...
after his sophomore season, to help ease the financial burdens of his family. He became the first Nebraska player to leave school for the
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
before his eligibility had expired. He finished his college career with 42 receptions for 816 yards, a 19.4-yard average and 12 touchdowns.
Professional career
New York Jets (first stint)
Mitchell was selected by the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
in the first round (15th overall) of the
1992 NFL Draft
The 1992 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1992, at the Marriott Mar ...
, after improving his draft stock through his athletic performance at the
NFL Combine
The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Footba ...
, even though he was seen as a raw player. Being a 21-year old rookie, he had difficulty adapting to the professional game and registered only 16 receptions for 210 yards and one
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
. He suffered a shoulder injury and was placed on the
injured reserve list
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
from games 2 through 6.
In 1993, he was among the league's leaders for
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
s with 39 receptions (fourth on the team) for 630 yards (third on the team) and 6
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
s. He had 7 receptions for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
. He was declared inactive in 2 games because of a knee injury.
In 1994, his best season came under
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
, when he was second on the team with 58 receptions for 749 yards and 4
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
s. He had 11 receptions for 120 yards against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
. He made 5 receptions for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
.
In 1995, new head coach
Rich Kotite
Richard Edward Kotite (born October 13, 1942) is a former National Football League (NFL) player and coach. In the 1990s, he had stints as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets
Playing career
Kotite was born in Brooklyn, ...
took over and selected
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Kyle Brady
Kyle or Kyles may refer to:
Places
Canada
* Kyle, Saskatchewan, Canada
Ireland
* Kyle, County Laois
* Kyle, County Wexford
Scotland
* Kyle, Ayrshire, area of Scotland which stretched across parts of modern-day East Ayrshire and South Ayrshir ...
with the team's first selection in the
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Th ...
. Mitchell numbers would drop to 45 receptions (third on the team) for 497 yards (second on the team) and 5
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
s, after missing 4 games with a back injury. He had 9 receptions for 108 yards and one touchdown against the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
.
The Jets designated him as their franchise player before the 1996 season and tried to trade him, but ended granting him his release on April 23.
Miami Dolphins
On July 17, 1996, he signed as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
with the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
, who at the time were coached by
Jimmy Johnson. He walked out of
training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events, ...
after 12 days and announced his retirement at the age of 25 on July 29.
Dallas Cowboys
On November 21, 1996, the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
convinced Mitchell to come out of retirement and signed him for depth purposes after dealing with injuries to
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
s
Jay Novacek
Jay McKinley Novacek (born October 24, 1962) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League who played for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals (1985–1989) and the Dallas Cowboys (1990–1995). Novacek was a five-time Pro ...
and
Eric Bjornson
Eric Thomas Bjornson (born December 15, 1971) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Dr ...
. He played in 4 games (one start), registering one reception for 17 yards. He wasn't re-signed after the season.
New York Jets (second stint)
In 1999, Mitchell asked
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He rose to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 1983 ...
for an opportunity to restart his career. He was signed to a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
contract on January 19, but lasted only one day in
training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events, ...
, leaving in the middle of the night without telling anyone his intentions. He later announced his retirement on July 31.
New Orleans Saints
On June 4, 2001, he signed with the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
after being out of football for 4 years, who were looking to protect themselves in case
Cam Cleeland
Cameron Ross Cleeland (born August 15, 1975) is an American football tight end who last played for the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. Previously he had played for the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots and went to the University of Washingt ...
could not recover from the previous year Achilles' tendon injury. On September 2, he was released after being passed on the depth chart by rookie
Boo Williams
Eddie Lee "Boo" Williams (born June 22, 1979) is a former American football tight end who played for the New Orleans Saints from 2001 to 2004. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks as a wide receiver.
College career
Williams p ...
. On December 26, he was re-signed after Cleeland was placed on the
injured reserve list
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
with an Achilles injury. He did not play in the final two games of the season. He was released on August 20, 2002.
Jacksonville Jaguars
On April 14, 2003, he was signed as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
by the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
, who were experiencing a contract hold out by
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Kyle Brady
Kyle or Kyles may refer to:
Places
Canada
* Kyle, Saskatchewan, Canada
Ireland
* Kyle, County Laois
* Kyle, County Wexford
Scotland
* Kyle, Ayrshire, area of Scotland which stretched across parts of modern-day East Ayrshire and South Ayrshir ...
. He was released on August 10.
Personal life
Mitchell was a studio analyst for British television channel
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
on their live NFL coverage, as well on ESPN Brasil and is the head coach for the
Coritiba Crocodiles The Coritiba Crocodiles are a professional Brazilian American football team headquartered in Curitiba, Paraná. Founded as the Barigui Crocodiles by a group of friends who used to watch NFL games, the team name originated from a crocodile that live ...
.
In the 2013 and 2014 football seasons, he led the Crocodiles to win the National Football Championship in Brasil. He also taught
Tee-ball
Tee-ball (also teeball, tee ball or T-ball) is a team sport based on a simplified form of baseball or softball. It is intended as an introduction for children aged 4 to 6 to develop ball-game skills and have fun.
Description
Tee-ball association ...
to Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten children from the
International School of Curitiba
The International School of Curitiba (ISC), founded in 1959, is located in Curitiba, Paraná (state), Paraná, Brazil.
Diplomas
American
ISC has been accredited since 1984 by AdvancED, the leading American Certification Authority for excellent ...
.
He now works part-time at
Scarisbrick Hall School
Scarisbrick Hall School is a mixed private school, located in Scarisbrick Hall, Lancashire, England, that educates children from nursery to age 18.
History
Scarisbrick Hall is a 150-room mansion built between 1830 and 1860 by the architect Aug ...
, teaching young people
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
and
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
.
References
External links
Comeback Kid
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Johnny
1971 births
Living people
Players of American football from Chicago
American football tight ends
Nebraska Cornhuskers football players
New York Jets players
Dallas Cowboys players
New Orleans Saints players