@DCGoldPants Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4863-2004Aug16.html Ex-Redskins Returner Mitchell Ready to PlayBy Mark Maske Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, August 16, 2004; 12:35 PM Brian Mitchell, the kick returner and running back who has gained more yards than anyone else in NFL history, would like to play one more season. But he isn't on a roster with preseason games underway and he says he will wrap up his 14-year career if he hasn't signed with a team by the time the regular season begins next month. "If the phone rings early enough, I'll play," Mitchell said over the weekend. "If it's too long, I'm done. If they wait until the season starts, I'll move on and do the things I'm doing." Mitchell, who turns 36 this week, was released by the New York Giants in February. He said his agent, Steve Baker, has been in contact recently with the Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers. But it's only been talk so far, and Mitchell has begun operating a business out of his Northern Virginia home. He has a staffing company up and running, with plans to expand into other fields. He was at FedEx Field for Saturday night's game between the Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers, working as a studio analyst for Comcast. "I plan to see how soon I get a call," Mitchell said. "If I don't get a call soon, I'm going to call it quits. . . . We'll see how it works. The thing is, I thought I'd miss it, and I don't miss it. I get up in the morning, work out, play golf and do some things I want to do. I'm doing some business things that interest me." He has crafted a remarkable career since being drafted in the fifth round by the Redskins in 1990. He was a quarterback at Southwestern Louisiana who never returned a punt or a kickoff in college, yet he became perhaps the most successful return man in NFL history as well as a reliable pass-catching running back. He is the league's leader with 23,330 combined yards (rushing, receiving and return yards), 213 yards ahead of Oakland Raiders wide receiver Jerry Rice. Mitchell has led the league in that category in four different seasons -- a feat matched only by Cleveland Browns Hall of Famer Jim Brown, the league leader in combined yards in five different seasons between 1958 and '64. If he never plays another game, Mitchell said, he will be proud of what he has done. But he'd rather not go out on the down note of his 2003 season, in which he averaged a career-low 5.3 yards per punt return and 20.3 yards per kickoff return (his lowest figure since 1991) for a Giants team that lost its final eight games, resulting in the firing of Coach Jim Fassel. "I would like to play one more year," he said. "I didn't like the way things ended up there last year. They cut me, and then they cut the guy backing me up and now they don't even have a [return] guy who can catch the ball. Jerry Rice is playing one more year to catch up in total yards. So I can play one more year, too. But I have nothing to be ashamed of. Coming into the league and having to change my position, the things I've accomplished -- I'm sure no one expected it." He played three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and one season with the Giants after leaving the Redskins on unpleasant terms before the 2000 season. He was released because club officials thought he had lost a step and wanted Deion Sanders to take over as their punt returner. He has verbally assailed the Redskins frequently since his departure but he said he was pleased to see his former coach, Joe Gibbs, return to town. "When he came back, he brought excitement," Mitchell said. "I wasn't even on the team and I was excited. I've always said the Redskins had as much talent as anyone else. They didn't have leadership and they were not well-coached. Joe Gibbs can be that thing to put them over the top. It's like with LaVar [Arrington]. LaVar is so talented, but he makes mistakes that hurt his team. Joe Gibbs and the defensive coordinator [Gregg Williams] can tone down his game. Not every hit has to be highlight reel. You just have to get the guy down, and these guys will get that across to him. [steve] Spurrier was a college coach, and pro players don't respect a college coach. They'll respect Joe Gibbs. And if they don't, he'll get them out of here because he has the authority to do that." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeySkin Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Sign him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzSkinsFan63 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 I sure wish he would retire a Redskin... Mitchel for Deion..Huge mistake.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntotoro Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Sign him, retire him, then make him take the #30 with him so the curse will finally be over... :laugh: Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 I love the guy. Anyone remember the game he came in and played QB, we had to run a single wing offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afparent Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Bottom line, he was a Redskin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridironmike Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Originally posted by Jody12 I love the guy. Anyone remember the game he came in and played QB, we had to run a single wing offense. Shhhhhh. The lurkers here will come out of the woodwork. Yeah, most of us remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 I always loved B-Mitch's heart. He is a Redskin in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeySkin Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 I been lurkin since 2 triple 0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 If he wants to retire as a Skin, I'm all for it, but he's toast as a player. He's already stuck around one year too many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. S Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 i hope he at least retires a redskin. By the way, what curse, someone care to elaborate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMagicJuan Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 we need his locker room leadership badly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mania Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Originally posted by Jody12 I love the guy. Anyone remember the game he came in and played QB, we had to run a single wing offense. I don't know anyone who could forget that game. It was the Bodybag game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Some of you are delusional.... Do you think the Redskins are going to sign Brian Mitchell after all the sh*t he said about Snyder and the Redskins? When he played for the Feacles and Midgets he sure liked rubbing it in when the Skins lost. He can go F himself. He's no Redskin.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 See, this is exactly why you never burn your bridges when you leave. Sure, there's no way you can always part amicable but at least be smart about it and shut your trap. Not that there is any space on this team for Mitchell anyway, but if there were do you honestly think that Snyder would sign off on a deal for him after all the crap he has talked about this team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fwo40 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Originally posted by Johnny 'Luscious' Punani Some of you are delusional.... Do you think the Redskins are going to sign Brian Mitchell after all the sh*t he said about Snyder and the Redskins? When he played for the Feacles and Midgets he sure liked rubbing it in when the Skins lost. He can go F himself. He's no Redskin.... Thank God someone broke up this "lovefest". I hated Mitchell even when he was here. He was the type of guy that they'd bring in on 3rd and 9 and he'd pick up eight...never understood why they insisted on putting him in on 3rd down. Yeah I have Brian Mitchell memories....the 49'ers and the playoffs come to mind. The man had hands like Tiki.... But the absolute defining image I have of Mitchell is everytime he did anything on a football field he would come up running his mouth. He'd break a 2 yard return and get up talking smack....let's slam the book on this jacka$$ and not let him retire in the burgundy and gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhyno Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 I watched him on the comcast pregame show. he was lobbying for the redskins to resign him. Said his career in DC was awesome, philly was different and NY was basically a mistake. Said he will always be a skin at heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Originally posted by rhyno I watched him on the comcast pregame show. he was lobbying for the redskins to resign him. Said his career in DC was awesome, philly was different and NY was basically a mistake. Said he will always be a skin at heart Now, why do you think he wants to come back here? Talk about trying to jump on the bandwagon. He knows Gibbs is going to turn the Redskins around and he wants to jump on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNatsFan Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Originally posted by rhyno I watched him on the comcast pregame show. he was lobbying for the redskins to resign him. Said his career in DC was awesome, philly was different and NY was basically a mistake. Said he will always be a skin at heart NY was a mistake because he had nothing left. He's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renegade7 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Sign him and let him retire a redskins. That is, if there's no more bad blood between him and snyder. Ya never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurgundyBomber Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 I was a big Brian Mitchell fan until he went to Philly and showed his a$$. Took every opportunity he could to bad-mouth the Redskins. Now, I understand that he was Mr. Redksins and may have had a legitimate beef - but he took the low road. Now he want to speak fondly of his Redskins days?!? Good riddance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofer Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Originally posted by laurent See, this is exactly why you never burn your bridges when you leave. Sure, there's no way you can always part amicable but at least be smart about it and shut your trap. Not that there is any space on this team for Mitchell anyway, but if there were do you honestly think that Snyder would sign off on a deal for him after all the crap he has talked about this team? I hear ya, but the reason he mouthed off is exactly the reason he was loved by so many fans - his fire and passion. I do not hold a grudge, and hope Snyder re-signs him so he can retire as a Redskin. Saw him on the Redskins pre-game show Saturday night - claims he is still a Redskin at heart and is lobbying hard to retire as one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofer Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Originally posted by fwo40 Thank God someone broke up this "lovefest". I hated Mitchell even when he was here. He was the type of guy that they'd bring in on 3rd and 9 and he'd pick up eight...never understood why they insisted on putting him in on 3rd down. Yeah I have Brian Mitchell memories....the 49'ers and the playoffs come to mind. The man had hands like Tiki.... But the absolute defining image I have of Mitchell is everytime he did anything on a football field he would come up running his mouth. He'd break a 2 yard return and get up talking smack....let's slam the book on this jacka$$ and not let him retire in the burgundy and gold. He always came up talking smack. That's what I loved about him. Don't hate him just because he is who he is. We loved him because of his attitude and his heart. Then, when he gets a raw deal (Cut loose for Sanders? Gees, that would piss me off too) and does the very things we loved him for but directed at Snyder, we tell him to go "F" himself, and slam the book on his ass? I vote no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denverdan Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Snyder or Mitchell, I choose Mitchell. After Snyder ran him outta' town I remember seeing him have a couple of return TD's. Gibbs never would of cut him 5 years ago, but even if he was still on the team his chances of making the final cut this year would of been slim. Sign him and retire him with many thanks to one of the great Redskins. Still don't know anything about the #30 curse, but I assume Canidate has something to do with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooper Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 He had some great years for us but he's done as a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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