Johnny Mitchell returned to Chicago at age 16 to pursue his education and sports.
28 Facts About Johnny Mitchell
1.
2.
Johnny Mitchell graduated from Simeon Career Academy in 1989, where he played multiple positions, including quarterback and defensive end.
3.
Johnny Mitchell became the first freshman from Nebraska to make the All-Big Eight first team since 1946.
4.
Johnny Mitchell was second on the team in receiving while setting a school record with 25.6 average yards per reception and tying the school record for touchdown receptions by a tight end in a season.
5.
Johnny Mitchell set a school bowl record when he recorded five receptions for 138 yards and one touchdown against Georgia Tech in the 1991 Florida Citrus Bowl.
6.
In 1991, Johnny Mitchell set school records for tight ends when he recorded a team-leading 31 receptions for 534 yards and five touchdowns.
7.
Johnny Mitchell set two school single-game records for receptions and yards by a tight end in the season finale against the University of Oklahoma when he had seven catches for 137 yards.
8.
Johnny Mitchell declared himself eligible for the NFL draft after his sophomore season in order to help ease the financial burdens of his family.
9.
Johnny Mitchell became the first Nebraska player to leave school for the NFL before his eligibility had expired.
10.
Johnny Mitchell finished his college career with 42 receptions for 816 yards, a 19.4-yard average and 12 touchdowns.
11.
Johnny Mitchell was selected by the New York Jets in the first round of the 1992 NFL draft after improving his draft stock through his athletic performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, even though he was seen as a raw player.
12.
Johnny Mitchell suffered a shoulder injury and was placed on the injured reserve list from games 2 through 6.
13.
In 1993, Johnny Mitchell was among the league's leaders for tight ends with 39 receptions for 630 yards and six touchdowns.
14.
Johnny Mitchell had seven receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles.
15.
Johnny Mitchell was declared inactive in two games because of a knee injury.
16.
Johnny Mitchell had 11 receptions for 120 yards against the Minnesota Vikings.
17.
Johnny Mitchell recorded five receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins.
18.
Johnny Mitchell's reception count dropped to 45 for 497 yards and five touchdowns after missing four games with a back injury.
19.
Johnny Mitchell registered nine receptions for 108 yards and one touchdown against the New England Patriots.
20.
On July 17,1996, Johnny Mitchell signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins, but he departed training camp after 12 days and announced his retirement at the age of 25 on July 29.
21.
On November 21,1996, the Dallas Cowboys convinced Johnny Mitchell to leave retirement and signed him for depth purposes after dealing with injuries to tight ends Jay Novacek and Eric Bjornson.
22.
Johnny Mitchell played in four games, registering one reception for 17 yards.
23.
In 1999, Johnny Mitchell asked head coach Bill Parcells for an opportunity to restart his career.
24.
On June 4,2001, Johnny Mitchell signed with the New Orleans Saints after four years away from the game.
25.
Johnny Mitchell did not play in the final two games of the season and was released on August 20,2002.
26.
Johnny Mitchell was a studio analyst for British television channel Sky Sports on its live NFL coverage, as well as for ESPN Brasil.
27.
Johnny Mitchell served as the head coach for the Coritiba Crocodiles, and in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, he led the Crocodiles to the Brazilian national football championship.
28.
Johnny Mitchell taught tee-ball to kindergarten and prekindergarten kids from the International School of Curitiba.