Bobby Mitchell

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Mitchell entered the NFL in the seventh round of the 1958 draft, immediately pairing with Jim Brown. Their synergy created a formidable threat for the Browns from 1958 to 1961. As a rookie, he returned a kickoff for 98 yards, setting an early tone for his explosive playmaking ability. In a game against Washington, Mitchell rushed for significant yardage, though Jim Brown holds the Browns' single-game rushing record of 287 yards. His longest touchdown run was 90 yards, a mark that stood as a Browns record until it was surpassed by Jim Brown's 93-yard touchdown in 1964; Nick Chubb has never broken this specific franchise record for longest rushing touchdown. That same year, he recorded two punt returns for 30 total yards against the New York Giants. Over his tenure with Cleveland specifically, he accumulated approximately 1,953 rushing yards and 1,463 receiving yards, scoring 38 touchdowns. He also held the team's career record for kickoff return touchdowns and maintained the best rookie rushing average in franchise history at 6.3 yards per carry in 1958.

In Their Own Story

In 1955, during his sophomore year at the University of Illinois, Mitchell turned a season around after junior Harry Jefferson went down with an injury seven games into the season. Entering in the third quarter against third-ranked Michigan, Mitchell ran his first touch for a 64-yard touchdown. He finished that game with 173 yards on just 10 carries as the Illini upset the Wolverines 25–6. His college dominance continued into track and field; in February 1958, he set an indoor world record of 7.7 seconds in the 70-yard low hurdles, a mark that lasted only six days. Despite his sights being set on the 1960 Summer Olympics, Cleveland Browns head coach Paul Brown convinced Mitchell to play football by offering him $7,000 for his rookie season, steering him toward an NFL career instead of Olympic glory.

Reader's Guide

Mitchell's professional path shifted dramatically in 1962 when the Washington Redskins, under pressure from the federal government to integrate, traded for him. Although they had selected Heisman winner Ernie Davis first overall, Davis died of leukemia before playing a down; the Redskins instead acquired Mitchell and draft pick Leroy Jackson. Mitchell became the first black player to sign with Washington, joining three other black players on the 1962 roster. Under coach Bill McPeak, he moved to flanker, immediately returning a kickoff 92 yards against the Dallas Cowboys in his debut. That season, he led the league with 72 catches and 1,384 receiving yards while scoring 11 touchdowns. In 1963, he became only the second player in NFL history to complete a 99-yard pass play, catching a throw from George Izo. He played for Washington until 1968, retiring after Vince Lombardi promised but failed to return him to flanker due to his physical condition.

Did You Know?

• Mitchell set an indoor world record of 7.7 seconds in the 70-yard low hurdles in February 1958, a mark that lasted only six days.
• He turned down a contract offer from the Chicago Cubs baseball team to play college football at Illinois.
• His 90-yard rushing touchdown for the Browns stood as a franchise record until Jim Brown broke it with a 93-yard run in 1964; Nick Chubb's longest TD run is 71 yards.
• Mitchell recorded 486 career rushes with a 4.7 yards per carry average, distinguishing him from players with over 500 attempts and higher averages.
• He spent over 40 years with the Washington franchise, retiring in 2002 after serving as assistant general manager since 1981.