Burgundy and Gold Chronicles: Redskins Great Brian Mitchell

Posted on August 26, 2022 by Dave

August 26, 2022

by David Earl

This is a new series that will discuss Redskins history and the great players who created it. We’ll celebrate a retired franchise that gave us many ups and downs until the decades of decay which led to the unceremonious retiring of the iconic Redskins name. No, this will not be a rant series about Dan Snyder and the unforgivable treatment of our beloved franchise; instead, it will celebrate Redskins greats and the greatest moments in team history, marking certain events with “This day in Redskins history,” and much more. Most of us will always bleed Burgundy and Gold forever whether you remain a fan of today’s rebranded team or decided to part ways. This series is to keep some of the best (a few bad) moments alive. What better way to kick start this series than with an all-time great Brian Mitchell in his birthday month?

Foreshadowing Future to Come

What you won’t see in Brian Mitchell‘s this career highlight reel above is his preseason week 1 kickoff return for a touchdown against Atlanta. This 5th round pick (130th overall) of the 1990 NFL draft started off on not just a right foot but gave the fans a foreshadowing of things to come, as he took the opening kickoff 92 yards for the game’s first touchdown. He brought a hard-nosed work ethic to the locker room which showed on and off the field – Brian had no time for excuses but just execute and do your job. His hard work showed in the end just by his numbers alone:

Ranked 2nd all-time in all-purpose yards (23,330)
Top overall in kick return yards (14,014) and punt return yards (4,999)
Totaled 13 special team TDs
Made first-team all-pro 1995

Body Bag Game Key Moment

In an interview with Rick ‘Doc’ Walker on The Legacy, Brian talked about this game with an interesting statement, “That game we got tested by the bully, and the bully got the best of us. But they didn’t kill us. They left us breathing, and we had a chance to come back. And when you come back, you make sure you understand, ‘you made a mistake by not taking me out.’ ” He was not wrong either, as later that season, on January 5th, the Redskins exacted their revenge knocking the Eagles out of the playoffs by a score of 20-6. The essence of this game can easily define the fierce mentality Brian Mitchell played with throughout his entire career. There was no dancing or juking on the field; simply plant that foot and get up the field. If you were in his way, prepare for an impact, because this wreaking ball was never cowering away from any contact and if you were unprepared, well you felt that too. Many of us feel Brian’s sentiment that this game was a motivating factor in the 1991 Super Bowl run, because this team took this beating very personally.

The Championship Season: 1991

The 1991 season was not just a phenomenal year for the Redskins but this was Brian Mitchell’s signature season. He finished tops in the league in punt return yards (600), touchdowns (2), and ranked 2nd in average yards per return (13.3). While the season wasn’t completely perfect as he became more conservative as a returner after nearly fumbling away a victory in week 10 vs. Houston Oilers, Brian returned to Pro Bowl form against the Los Angeles Rams 4 weeks later. As reported by the Washington Post, Mitchell had a huge day totaling 96 yards (kickoff and punt return) on 5 returns, thus getting the “Old Brian Mitchell” back on track. There was no doubt he was a key part of this team’s 1991 success. Field position is everything, and thanks to Brian this team rarely started deep in their own territory. Thinking back on this, giving this potent offense great field position was a major benefit for the Redskins.

Hall of Fame Worthy?

Ask any Redskins fan and this answer is emphatical YES, but is that based on bias, or is there a legitimate argument? While being 2nd in total yards behind only Jerry Rice, his 23,330 total yards is a testament to his longevity and consistency that allowed him to perform at a high level for so long. Returners such as Eric Metcalf and Dante Hall my have been more flashy and dynamic, but they just didn’t last nearly as long. Where most returners succeeded as either a kickoff or punter returner, Brian excelled at both throughout his career. The website How They Play broke down his hall of fame viability very well. Sharing these very numbers that shouldn’t be overlooked:

1st Punt Returns—463
1st Punt Return Yards—4,999
1st Kick Returns—607
1st Kick Return Yards—14,014
1st Kick & Punt Returns—1,070
1st Kick & Punt Return Yards—19,013
1st 2000+ All-Purpose Yard Seasons—4, tied with several other players
2nd All-Purpose Yards—23,316
3rd Punt Returns for Touchdown—9
2nd Kick and Punt Returns for Touchdowns—13

Brian Mitchell’s Inspiring Journey

Brian Mitchell shares his journey in order to inspire others along the way and has become a great mentor to young athletes. He has made it a point to use his platform to give back in numerous ways such as charities, public speaking events, and raising awareness for non-profits. Brian has shared the importance of mindset and work ethic with young athletes to help prepare them for a career in professional sports. While we fans have enjoyed his brutal honesty as a local analyst covering the team as well as his tendency to challenge the organization every season, he has become so much more behind the scenes. He’s an endearing figure in Washington, especially with today’s youth athlete. As we watched a Hall of Fame worthy career bloom before our eyes, what Brain Mitchell has done off the field has been class and admiration.