Biography

Call 1.800.966.1380 to contact Bobby Mitchell booking agent, publicist, manager, pr firm, representative and management company for booking Bobby Mitchell speaker appearances, autograph signing, endorsement deals or hiring Bobby Mitchell as a keynote speaker for your next event. Find Bobby Mitchell official website information, speaker fees, booking fees, costs and schedule. NFL player, Bobby Mitchell, was born June 6, 1935 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Mitchell is a former football halfback and flanker who played for the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins. Mitchell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

Bobby Mitchell was drafted in the seventh round of the 1958 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, where he played as a halfback. He was teamed with Jim Brown to give the Browns one of most successful running back combinations from 1958 through 1961.

As a rookie, Mitchell had a 98-yard kickoff return. A year later against Washington, he rushed for 232 yards, including a 90-yard scoring scamper. The same year, he returned a punt 78 yards against the New York Giants.

As a Brown, Mitchell accumulated 2297 yards rushing, 1463 yards receiving, 607 yards on punt returns, 1550 yards on kickoff returns, and scored 38 touchdowns. He still holds the Browns' career record for kickoff returns for touchdowns with three. He also holds the team's best rookie rushing average (13.36 in 1958).

Under pressure to integrate the team by the Washington Post and the federal government of the United States, the Washington Redskins drafted Ernie Davis with the first overall pick of the 1962 NFL Draft. But in mid-December, Redskins owner George Preston Marshall announced that on the day of the draft he had clandestinely traded the rights to Davis to the Cleveland Browns for Bobby Mitchell and first-round draft pick Leroy Jackson. This was a good move, as it turned out that Davis had leukemia, and died without ever playing a down in professional football. Bobby Mitchell was joined by Charley Taylor, Larry Brown, Brig Owens, and John Nisby from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Redskins ended the 1962 season with their best record in five years: 5–7–2.

Bill McPeak, in his first year as head coach, immediately announced Bobby Mitchell would become a flanker. In his first game in Washington, he ran back a 92-yard kickoff return against the Dallas Cowboys. Mitchell led the league with eleven touchdowns, 72 catches, and 1384 yards, and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

In 1963, Mitchell recorded 69 catches for 1436 yards and seven more touchdowns. During the next four years, Mitchell's reception totals were 60, 60, 58 and 60. In 1967, new head coach Otto Graham chose to move Mitchell back to halfback because of Graham's decision a year earlier to move the team's best running back, Charley Taylor , to wide receiver. Mitchell enjoyed only moderate success running the ball but he did catch 60 passes for 866 yards and six touchdowns.

In 1969, Vince Lombardi became head coach and promised Mitchell that he would return him to flanker. But as training camp progressed, Mitchell realized that he was not in the same shape he once was and chose to retire.

During his first six seasons with the Redskins, Bobby Mitchell never caught fewer than 58 passes. When he retired, his 14,078 combined net yards was the second highest total in NFL history. He had also scored 91 touchdowns (18 by rushing, 65 on receptions, 3 on punt returns, and 5 on kickoff returns). He amassed 7,954 yards on receptions and 2,735 yards on rushes.

PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent PFP is a speakers bureau and booking agency providing Bobby Mitchell speaker, personal appearance and endorsement information. Booking Bobby Mitchell for appearances, as a motivational speaker, keynote speaker, for a fundraising event, grand opening, television or radio commercial, PR campaign or trade show is easy through our agency. For more info, contact Bobby Mitchell through PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent at 1.800.966.1380.