Freddie Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Freddie Lee Mitchell, Jr. (born November 28, 1978) is a former American football
wide receiver
who played for the Philadelphia Eagles
in the National Football League
for four seasons. A four-sport athlete at Kathleen High School, Mitchell committed to the University of California, Los Angeles
to play football
for the Bruins
. In his collegiate debut in 1998, he had four receptions for 108 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown from Cade McNown
, as well as a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brian Poli-Dixon. Mitchell broke his femur
the following week against Houston
and missed most of the season. Limited by a knee cartilage injury throughout the 1999 season, he finished with 38 receptions for 533 yards. As a junior in 2000, Mitchell was a Fred Biletnikoff Award
finalist and earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors at the conclusion of the season. In the 2000 Sun Bowl
, he had nine catches for a Sun Bowl-record 180 yards. He declared for the 2001 NFL Draft
following the 2000 season and finished his college career with 77 catches for 1,494 yards and nine touchdowns.
Mitchell was drafted
by the Eagles with the 25th selection in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He began the 2001 season as the fourth wide receiver, but surpassed Na Brown
to become the team's slot receiver in week eight. Mitchell became the fourth receiver again after the Eagles signed Antonio Freeman
before the 2002 season and caught only twelve passes the entire year. After Freeman left before the 2003 season, Mitchell became the slot receiver once again. In the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Green Bay Packers
, with the Eagles facing a 4th and 26
situation, he caught a 28-yard pass from Donovan McNabb
to help led the team to a win in overtime. He finished the 2003 season with a career-high 35 catches for 498 yards and two touchdowns.
The presence of Terrell Owens
in 2004 led to limited opportunities for Mitchell to catch passes and he voiced his frustration on and off the field. When Owens went down with an ankle injury towards the end of the season, Mitchell replaced him as the starter and had a two-touchdown performance in the Divisional Playoff Game against the Minnesota Vikings
. After the game, Mitchell said, "I just want to thank my hands for being so great." In the week prior to Super Bowl XXXIX
against the New England Patriots
, he created controversy by offending members of the Patriots' secondary, including Rodney Harrison
. He caught one pass for 11 yards in the Super Bowl and was released by the Eagles on May 6, 2005. The Kansas City Chiefs
signed him shortly after, but he declined to have arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee and he was released before the start of the season.
in Lakeland, Florida
. He attended Kathleen High School in Lakeland, where he lettered in cross country
, baseball
, football
, and basketball. In baseball, Mitchell was used as a pinch hitter
and played outfielder
. He played in the Polk County East–West Senior All-Star Game in 1997 for the West squad. He had a .388 batting average
, three home run
s, and eleven RBIs. Mitchell was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 47th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft
after graduating from Kathleen. He was a guard in basketball, and scored 11 points in the 1997 Class 4A boys' high school basketball state championship for Kathleen as the Red Devils won their first ever title. Mitchell, who had three steals
in the game, was called for a technical foul
after he went out-of-bounds and hit a cooler
with his fist. In football, he contributed as a wide receiver
, kick returner
, punt returner
, holder
for kicker
Paul Edinger
, and defensive back
. Mitchell earned The Ledger second-team all-area honors as a utility player
following the 1995 season.
Mitchell visited the University of Florida
, Florida State University
, the University of Miami
, and Michigan State University
before he committed to the University of California, Los Angeles
to play football for the Bruins. He chose to play on the West Coast
mainly because of the opportunities presented for his career after football.
the 1997 season for the UCLA Bruins
. In his first game, a 49–31 win over Texas
on September 12, 1998, Mitchell threw a 34-yard touchdown
pass to Brian Poli-Dixon and had four catches for 108 yards and one touchdown pass (79 yards) from quarterback
Cade McNown
. He had one rushing attempt for 30 yards on a reverse
, 78 yards on three kickoff returns, and 17 yards on three punt returns. He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the game. On September 19, Mitchell had surgery on his left femur
after suffering a fracture
at the end of a kickoff return in the first quarter of a 42–24 win over Houston
the same day. Mitchell was expected to miss the rest of the season, but, after a "remarkable" recovery, was able to play for eleven snaps in the Rose Bowl
on January 1, 1999. He threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Durell Price
on a flea flicker
play in the first quarter of the loss to Wisconsin
.
In the summer prior to the 1999 season, Mitchell and Poli-Dixon worked out with Minnesota Vikings
receivers Randy Moss
and Cris Carter
in Florida. Mitchell, Poli-Dixon, Danny Farmer
, and the rest of the UCLA receiving corps called themselves "The Birds" for their ability to "fly all over the field." Mitchell was hampered by a knee cartilage
issue throughout his redshirt sophomore season. Starting in place of the injured Farmer in the season-opener against Boise State
for his first career start, Mitchell had one catch for 11 yards from Drew Bennett
, one kickoff return for 15 yards, and four punt returns for 33 yards. In the next week in a loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes
, Mitchell again started in place of Farmer and gained 31 yards on two reverses, had four kickoff returns for 73 yards and completed a pass for 18 yards. In a 35–21 win over Fresno State
on September 18, Mitchell, again starting in place of Farmer, caught nine passes for 149 yards, both career-highs. On September 25, in a 42–32 loss to Stanford
, Mitchell caught three passes for 23 yards in his fourth-straight start. He made one reception for seven yards and overthrew Price on a passing attempt against Arizona State
on October 2. He caught four passes for 54 yards in his fifth start of the year as the Bruins won over the Oregon Ducks
, 34–29, and against California
, Mitchell made two receptions for 19 yards in a shutout
loss. He led the team in receiving for three consecutive weeks to follow: in his sixth start of the season, a 55–7 blowout
loss to Oregon State
, he caught five passes for 58 yards; in the Bruins' third-straight loss, this time to Arizona
, he had 42 yards on four receptions; and in a 23–20 win in overtime
against Washington
, he successfully received four passes for 82 yards, including a 43-yard pass from Ryan McCann. In the final game of the season, against USC, Mitchell caught five passes for 88 yards. He had a total of 38 catches for 533 yards with no touchdowns and six starts in 1999, and finished 15th in the Pac-10 in receptions with 3.5 per game and 17th in receiving yards with 48.5 per game.
Mitchell played baseball for the Bruins in the offseason prior to the 2000 football season. He was teammates with future Philadelphia Phillies
second baseman
Chase Utley
and introduced Utley to his future wife, Jennifer Cooper. Mitchell was drafted in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft
in the 50th round by the Chicago White Sox
. Utley said of Mitchell's decision not to play baseball professionally, "he chose the right sport in football, that's for sure. He was a good batting practice hitter—that's about it. He wasn't quite the same once the game got going."
Mitchell earned preseason first-team All-Pac-10 honors from The Sporting News
and Lindy's Sports before the 2000 season as he prepared to take over the starting wide receiver job following Farmer's graduation. Mitchell, along with teammate Poli-Dixon, was named to the Fred Biletnikoff Award
watchlist in the preseason. In the season-opener against third-ranked Alabama
, Mitchell threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Poli-Dixon on a trick play
in the first quarter and made a 46-yard touchdown reception from McCann in the third quarter. He finished the game with four catches for 91 yards in the upset
win. In the 24–21 win over Fresno State on September 9, Mitchell led the team in receiving with six receptions for 58 yards and a 20-yard touchdown pass from McCann. Mitchell's catches went into the double-digits against third-ranked Michigan
, as he had ten receptions for 137 yards in the 23–20 upset win on September 16. On September 23, in the third quarter of a 29–10 loss against Oregon, Mitchell caught what appeared to be a touchdown in the corner of the endzone, but was ruled out-of-bounds by the officials. The Bruins settled for a field goal on the drive and Mitchell explained after the game that "I knew it was a touchdown, you knew it was a touchdown, everybody does. The ref[eree] knew it too because he looked at me like he was sorry." On the next series, however, Mitchell caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Bennett. Mitchell finished the game with eight receptions for 158 yards. In a 38–31 comeback
win over Arizona State on September 30, he caught two touchdown passes from Cory Paus in the third quarter, one of which was for 80 yards, and had four total catches for 125 yards in the game. On October 14, in a triple-overtime loss to California, Mitchell made eight receptions for 167 yards and caught a 35-yard touchdown from Paus in the fourth quarter. Mitchell was named to the BCSfootball.com Midseason All-America team after posting 38 receptions for 736 yards and six touchdowns midway through the season. In a 44–38 loss to Oregon State, he recorded five catches for 94 yards. Mitchell was named a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award in late October. Mitchell made seven catches for 94 yards to help lead UCLA to a 27–24 win over Arizona on October 28. In a 37–35 win over Stanford, Mitchell caught a 41-yard touchdown pass from Paus in the fourth quarter and finished the game with seven catches for 185 yards. Mitchell made seven receptions for 65 yards in a 35–28 loss to the Washington Huskies on November 11. In a 38–35 loss to USC on November 18, Mitchell broke Farmer's single-season record of 1,274 yards in 1998 with 1,314 yards. He made four receptions for 140 yards and a four-yard touchdown in the game, and threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Poli-Dixon. Mitchell was named a Biletnikoff Award finalist in late November alongside Antonio Bryant
of Pittsburgh
and Marvin Minnis
of Florida State
, but lost out to Bryant. Mitchell earned first-team All-America honors by the Walter Camp Football Foundation
following the season, as well as first-team All-Pac-10 honors. He earned CNNSI.com
honorable mention All-America honors. He was named a winner of UCLA's Henry R. "Red" Sanders
Award for Most Valuable Player, the winner of the George W. Dickerson
Award for Outstanding Offensive Player against USC, and a winner of the Team Captain Award at the UCLA football award banquet.
In the 2000 Sun Bowl
against Wisconsin
on December 29, Mitchell made nine receptions for a Sun Bowl-record 180 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown catch. Though the Bruins lost the game 21–20, Mitchell said Badgers cornerback
Jamar Fletcher
"couldn't stop [him]." Mitchell was called for two taunting penalties on Fletcher, but still won MVP honors following the game. Mitchell finished the season with 77 catches for 1,494 yards and nine touchdowns.
In October 2000, Mitchell told the Eugene Register-Guard that he was "definitely returning" for his senior season. By mid-November, however, he told the Associated Press
that he was "leaning to staying, but nothing's firm." Mitchell instead chose to forgo his senior year and entered the NFL Draft
in early January 2001. He stated, "I have had a great time, but it's time for me to give something back to my family." Mitchell said he would be quieter in the NFL: "You won't hear no more trash talking from Freddie Mitchell, those are the big boys, I'm just a little kid again. I'm humble." He had 77 catches for 1,494 yards and nine touchdowns in his career as a Bruin.
, one NFL scout told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in February, "I don't think he's as fast as people in the press try to say he is. He's absolutely fearless over the middle but he prefers to trap the ball instead of to extend for it. I don't think he has nearly the explosion to be considered a first." Mitchell was also criticized by scouts for his small frame and character concerns. Draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr.
rated Mitchell as the 16th-best prospect in the draft following the NFL Scouting Combine in which he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, and called him a player on the rise. Kiper also rated him as the fifth-best wide receiver in the draft and projected Mitchell to be drafted in the mid-first round following his performance at the Combine. In his March 5 mock draft
, Kiper projected Mitchell to be drafted by the Green Bay Packers
with the tenth overall selection. He ranked Mitchell as the 18th-best player in the draft on March 30. NFLDraftScout.com projected Mitchell to be drafted in the second round and rated him as the eighth-best wide receiver in the draft. Kiper ranked him the fourth-best wide receiver in the draft on April 2. In his April 10 mock draft, Kiper projected Mitchell to be drafted by the Denver Broncos
with the 24th overall selection. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ranked Mitchell as the sixth-best wide receiver in the draft. Mitchell hired Tom Condon
of IMG Football as his agent
leading up to the draft.
in the first round (25th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He was the fifth wide receiver taken in the draft. He worked out with new quarterback Donovan McNabb
in Arizona
and Los Angeles
before mini-camp started. Because of NCAA rules regarding graduation, Mitchell was unable to attend the Eagles' mini-camp until after UCLA's senior class graduated. He studied the Eagles' playbook in the meantime. He asked the NFL for an exemption, but the league refused, and he arrived for his first practice on June 18, 2001. Mitchell signed a five-year, $5.5 million contract with the Eagles on July 26, in time for the start of training camp. During training camp, Mitchell practiced as a backup behind James Thrash
and Todd Pinkston
. Mitchell suffered a hip pointer
during the morning session on July 31, but returned for the afternoon session without limitation. A hamstring
injury limited him at the end of training camp. Before the start of the 2001 season
, head coach
Andy Reid
said, "Mentally, [Mitchell is] right there. He's picked everything up, he's a smart kid. He's wide-eyed, ready to learn. He's done a nice job when he's been in there."
Mitchell began the season as the team's fourth wide receiver behind Thrash, Pinkston, and Na Brown
. Mitchell's difficulty in learning the complex playbook, as well as the lingering hamstring injury, limited him in the Eagles' first six games of the season. In his first career NFL game, a week one matchup against the St. Louis Rams
on September 9, Mitchell played in a few snaps but was not thrown to. Mitchell was listed as "questionable" due to his hamstring injury before the start of the week two game against the Seattle Seahawks
on September 23, and was not activated. Against the Dallas Cowboys
in week three on September 30, Mitchell returned to the field and caught his first pass, which went for no gain. In weeks four and six, against the Arizona Cardinals
and New York Giants
, respectively, Mitchell recorded no catches. In week seven against the Oakland Raiders
, he made a catch for 15 yards.
Due to Brown's ineffective play, Mitchell replaced him as the Eagles' slot receiver in week eight against the Cardinals and had four receptions for 62 yards. In a week nine game against the Minnesota Vikings
on November 11, Mitchell caught three passes for 38 yards and had one rushing attempt for 12 yards. He caught two passes for 15 yards and had one rush for a loss of 16 yards in week ten against the Cowboys. Mitchell was listed as "probable" on the team's injury report due to a shoulder injury before a week eleven game against the Washington Redskins
, but did not record any catches in the game. He made three receptions for 60 yards in a week twelve win over the Kansas City Chiefs
on November 29, and Reid said, "Every week we're giving Freddie a little bit more responsibility and he's coming along very well right now." In a week thirteen game against the San Diego Chargers
, Mitchell caught one pass for five yards and attempted a pass off of a reverse that was knocked down. Against Washington in week 14, Mitchell caught his first career touchdown pass, a four-yard reception in the second quarter. He had two catches for 27 yards in the game. Mitchell caught two passes in each of the next two games for a total of 61 yards.
Mitchell made his first two career starts in week seventeen and in a wild card playoff game win against the Buccaneers. He did not record any receptions in either game. Against the Chicago Bears
in a divisional playoff game win on January 19, Mitchell caught two passes for 14 yards. In the NFC Championship Game
against the Rams on January 27, Mitchell caught one pass for two yards. A pass intended for him on a fourth-down play was intercepted by Rams defensive back Aeneas Williams
to clinch the win for St. Louis. Mitchell finished the season with 21 receptions for 283 yards and one touchdown.
to a one-year contract in August 2002, Mitchell was demoted to the fourth wide receiver behind Pinkston, Thrash, and Freeman. Mitchell mainly contributed on special teams for the Eagles throughout the 2002 season
. In the first fifteen weeks of the season, Mitchell caught a total of six passes for 53 yards as a backup. Against the Cowboys
in week sixteen, Pinkston left the game due to turf toe
, and Mitchell caught two passes for 17 yards in his place. Mitchell started in place of Pinkston in the last regular season game against the Giants
on December 28, and led the team in receiving with four catches for 35 yards.
Mitchell only caught twelve passes for 105 yards over the entire season. It was after this dismal performance, despite having the benefit of Pro Bowl
quarterback
Donovan McNabb passing to him, that Mitchell began to be labeled as a "bust."
for the third wide receiver position in 2003
after Freeman left the Eagles following the 2002 season. He eventually beat out McMullen for the slot receiver job. Eagles staff and players called Mitchell one of the most improved players in training camp. Donovan McNabb commented that Mitchell's "offseason workouts as well as his mindset has been a whole lot different."
In the first four weeks of the season, Mitchell caught six passes for 55 yards. Mitchell had one catch for 29 yards against the Redskins
on October 5, and he recovered a Redskins onside kick
to clinch the win for the Eagles. He had one reception for 27 yards in a game against the Cowboys
in week six. Mitchell started in week seven in place of Pinkston against the Giants
but recorded no catches. Against the New York Jets
in week eight, he had two catches for 29 yards. In week nine against the Atlanta Falcons
, Mitchell caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from McNabb and finished with two catches for 43 yards. He made seven receptions in the next two games for 83 yards. Against the New Orleans Saints in week twelve, Mitchell started and made two receptions for 24 yards. In weeks thirteen and fourteen, he had a combined six catches for 98 yards. On December 15, in a week fifteen game against the Miami Dolphins
, Mitchell threw his first touchdown pass, a 25-yard pass to Brian Westbrook
, and caught two passes for 30 yards in the 34–27 win. Against the San Francisco 49ers
in week sixteen on December 21, Mitchell made two catches for 23 yards and caught an eight-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of a week seventeen game against the Redskins on December 27. He had four catches for 47 yards in the game.
Perhaps Mitchell's biggest on-field contribution came on January 11, 2004, in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Packers. Late in the game, with the Eagles losing by three points and facing a 4th and 26
situation, Mitchell caught a 28-yard pass for a first down. The Eagles tied the score on the same drive and won the game in overtime. Mitchell had another catch for nine yards in the game. In the NFC Championship Game on January 18 against the Carolina Panthers, he caught four passes for 38 yards in the loss. Mitchell had 35 catches for 498 yards and two touchdowns in 2003.
and the departure of Thrash, Mitchell kept his role as the slot receiver in 2004
. Peter King
said Mitchell had "a great training camp" and that he "might be having the best camp of any player I've seen this summer." He made seven receptions in the first four weeks of the season for a total of 118 yards receiving, including three catches for 71 yards against the Detroit Lions
in week three. He started against the Panthers
on October 17 in week six but did not record any catches. In the following three weeks, Mitchell only had two receptions for 31 yards, with both catches coming against the Cleveland Browns
in week seven. His most notable catch of the season was a 60-yard reception during the Eagles' November 15, 2004, Monday Night Football
game against the Cowboys
. This catch is remembered primarily for the manner in which McNabb extended the play by eluding the Cowboys' pass rush for 14.1 seconds before eventually throwing to Mitchell. Over the subsequent four weeks, Mitchell had one reception in each game for a combined 54 yards. He began to openly voice his frustration over the limited role he continued to play in the Eagles' offense due to Owens' prominence. At one point during the season, after he made a catch, Mitchell would point to his wrist as if to say "it's about time." In a week fifteen game against the Cowboys, Owens suffered an ankle injury and was expected to miss the remainder of the season. Mitchell, who suffered a quad contusion during the game, did not make a catch against Dallas, but was named the starter in Owens' place opposite Pinkston. Against the Rams
in week sixteen, Mitchell caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from McNabb in the first quarter and finished the game with two receptions for 28 yards. In the final game of the regular season against the Cincinnati Benagals
, Mitchell had six receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown. He finished the season with only 22 catches.
In a divisional playoff game against the Vikings on January 16, 2005, Mitchell caught a two-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and celebrated by feigning to pull his pants up, a reference to the touchdown celebration by Vikings' wide receiver Randy Moss, who pretended to pull his pants down to moon
Green Bay fans the week before and was heavily criticized for doing so. Mitchell recovered an L. J. Smith fumble in the endzone for a touchdown in the second quarter, and finished the game with a team-high five receptions for 65 yards. In a press conference after the game, Mitchell said, "I just want to thank my hands for being so great." He had two receptions for 20 yards against the Atlanta Falcons
in the NFC Championship Game on January 23. In the game, Mitchell sported a well-publicized frohawk.
The Eagles finished the 2004 season with a 13–3 record and earned a trip to Super Bowl XXXIX
, where they were to play the AFC
Champion New England Patriots
. During the week leading up to the game, Mitchell sat for a short ESPN
interview conducted by Dan Patrick
. Asked to identify the members of the Patriots' secondary, Mitchell claimed he did not know them by name, only by number, and then deliberately stated each of their numbers incorrectly. Finally, he said he "had something" for safety Rodney Harrison
. Harrison responded by calling Mitchell a "jerk." Normally tight-lipped coach Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
later said of Mitchell, "[a]ll he does is talk. He's terrible, and you can print that. I was happy when he was in the game." Mitchell caught only one pass for 11 yards in the 24–21 loss. After the Super Bowl, Mitchell continued to sound off in interviews in which he criticized the Patriots, as well as Belichick, saying that the way the Patriots reacted reminded him of "little girls."
Mitchell worked out for the Kansas City Chiefs
on June 6, 2005, following his release from the Eagles. He signed with the Chiefs on June 17 after Az-Zahir Hakim
decided against signing with the team. Mitchell did not receive a signing bonus
. He began practicing with the team on the last day of mini-camps, June 18, and received extra practice with the coaches the following week. He suffered a knee injury during practice on July 30 and was scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery the following week, but declined to go through with it. He was released on September 2 due to concerns about his knee. Mitchell elected to have knee surgery on September 6 following his release.
Mitchell worked out for several teams after his release from the Chiefs, but did not sign a contract with any of them. He worked out for the Green Bay Packers
on October 25, 2005, the Dallas Cowboys
on August 6, 2006, the Cleveland Browns
on October 11, 2006, the Toronto Argonauts
of the Canadian Football League
on February 11, 2007, the Tennessee Titans
on July 26, 2007, and the Baltimore Ravens
on May 29, 2008.
, who played on the Eagles with Mitchell in 2001. Mitchell had several nicknames during his tenure in Philadelphia. These included "Fast Freddie," the "Sultan of Slot," "First Down Freddie," "FredEx" (claiming he "always delivers"), the "People's Champ," and "Hollywood."
Mitchell appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
while on UCLA's campus, deliberately answering questions incorrectly. He appeared on A Dating Story
, a reality television
show, in May 2002. In the episode, Mitchell took Tiffany Schmid to an amusement park
for their date. Mitchell, as well as several other NFL players, received threatening hate mail
in 2003, apparently due to his appearance on the reality show with Schmid as a mixed-race couple at the time.
According to sports blog Deadspin
, on November 27, 2006, Mitchell served as a substitute teacher at Mishawaka High School
in Mishawaka, Indiana
.
In the summer of 2008, Mitchell returned to his hometown of Lakeland and bought a local barbecue
restaurant called "Brothers' Bar-B-Que." In February 2009, Mitchell was under investigation when a package containing 7 pounds (3.2 kg) of marijuana was delivered to his business. Mitchell was briefly detained, but was not charged. The restaurant was closed briefly in June for violations, but reopened shortly thereafter. On September 3, 2009, the restaurant was closed and Mitchell was named in a suit for failure to make payments on the business. Mitchell officially lost the restaurant in September 2009 after a court ruling. In December 2009, Mitchell was pulled over for speeding in suburban Philadelphia. Due to an outstanding warrant for failure to pay child support, he was arrested on charges of being a fugitive from justice, and was later released on $250,000 bail.
In January 2011, Mitchell appeared on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker
, a dating show in which Patti Stanger
sets millionaires up to find love. Mitchell's finaceé left him after Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005 after they had been together for two years.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who played for the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for four seasons. A four-sport athlete at Kathleen High School, Mitchell committed to the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
to play football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Bruins
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
. In his collegiate debut in 1998, he had four receptions for 108 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown from Cade McNown
Cade McNown
Cade B. McNown is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League...
, as well as a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brian Poli-Dixon. Mitchell broke his femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
the following week against Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
and missed most of the season. Limited by a knee cartilage injury throughout the 1999 season, he finished with 38 receptions for 533 yards. As a junior in 2000, Mitchell was a Fred Biletnikoff Award
Fred Biletnikoff Award
The Fred Biletnikoff Award has been presented since 1994 to America's top college football receiver by the TQC Foundation, Inc. , an independent not-for-profit organization which created the award in 1994 and has sponsored it since...
finalist and earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors at the conclusion of the season. In the 2000 Sun Bowl
2000 Sun Bowl
The 2000 Wells Fargo Sun Bowl featured the , and the Wisconsin Badgers.Wisconsin opened the scoring, after quarterback Brooks Bollinger threw a 54 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lee Evans for an early 7-0 lead. UCLA responded when Cory Paus threw a 64 yard touchdown pass to Freddie Mitchell...
, he had nine catches for a Sun Bowl-record 180 yards. He declared for the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
following the 2000 season and finished his college career with 77 catches for 1,494 yards and nine touchdowns.
Mitchell was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Eagles with the 25th selection in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He began the 2001 season as the fourth wide receiver, but surpassed Na Brown
Na Brown
Na Orlando Brown is a professional indoor football wide receiver for the Huntington Hammer of the Ultimate Indoor Football League. He has also played for three seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
to become the team's slot receiver in week eight. Mitchell became the fourth receiver again after the Eagles signed Antonio Freeman
Antonio Freeman
Antonio Michael Freeman is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League, most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, dominating his high school conference. Freeman played college football at Virginia Tech...
before the 2002 season and caught only twelve passes the entire year. After Freeman left before the 2003 season, Mitchell became the slot receiver once again. In the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, with the Eagles facing a 4th and 26
4th and 26
4th and 26 is the commonly used name for a famous play on Sunday, January 11, 2004, during the 2003–04 NFL playoffs. The play occurred during the fourth quarter of a divisional playoff game between the visiting Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in...
situation, he caught a 28-yard pass from Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
to help led the team to a win in overtime. He finished the 2003 season with a career-high 35 catches for 498 yards and two touchdowns.
The presence of Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
in 2004 led to limited opportunities for Mitchell to catch passes and he voiced his frustration on and off the field. When Owens went down with an ankle injury towards the end of the season, Mitchell replaced him as the starter and had a two-touchdown performance in the Divisional Playoff Game against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. After the game, Mitchell said, "I just want to thank my hands for being so great." In the week prior to Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, he created controversy by offending members of the Patriots' secondary, including Rodney Harrison
Rodney Harrison
Rodney Scott Harrison is a retired professional football player of the National Football League. Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots...
. He caught one pass for 11 yards in the Super Bowl and was released by the Eagles on May 6, 2005. The Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
signed him shortly after, but he declined to have arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee and he was released before the start of the season.
Early years
Mitchell grew up as the son of a pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
in Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. He attended Kathleen High School in Lakeland, where he lettered in cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, and basketball. In baseball, Mitchell was used as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
and played outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He played in the Polk County East–West Senior All-Star Game in 1997 for the West squad. He had a .388 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, and eleven RBIs. Mitchell was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 47th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft
1997 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1997...
after graduating from Kathleen. He was a guard in basketball, and scored 11 points in the 1997 Class 4A boys' high school basketball state championship for Kathleen as the Red Devils won their first ever title. Mitchell, who had three steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
in the game, was called for a technical foul
Technical foul
In basketball, a technical foul is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between players on the court, or is a foul by a non-player. The most common technical foul is for unsportsmanlike conduct...
after he went out-of-bounds and hit a cooler
Water cooler
A water cooler or water dispenser is a device that cools and dispenses water. They are generally broken up in two categories: bottleless and bottled water coolers...
with his fist. In football, he contributed as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
, punt returner
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
, holder
Holder (American football)
In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand farthest from the line of...
for kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Paul Edinger
Paul Edinger
Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
, and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. Mitchell earned The Ledger second-team all-area honors as a utility player
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
following the 1995 season.
Mitchell visited the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, and Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
before he committed to the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
to play football for the Bruins. He chose to play on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
mainly because of the opportunities presented for his career after football.
College career
Mitchell redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
the 1997 season for the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
. In his first game, a 49–31 win over Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
on September 12, 1998, Mitchell threw a 34-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass to Brian Poli-Dixon and had four catches for 108 yards and one touchdown pass (79 yards) from quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Cade McNown
Cade McNown
Cade B. McNown is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League...
. He had one rushing attempt for 30 yards on a reverse
Reverse (American football)
A reverse is a relatively common trick play in American football that involves one or more abrupt changes in the lateral flow of a rushing play.-Variations:...
, 78 yards on three kickoff returns, and 17 yards on three punt returns. He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the game. On September 19, Mitchell had surgery on his left femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
after suffering a fracture
Bone fracture
A bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
at the end of a kickoff return in the first quarter of a 42–24 win over Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
the same day. Mitchell was expected to miss the rest of the season, but, after a "remarkable" recovery, was able to play for eleven snaps in the Rose Bowl
1999 Rose Bowl
The 1999 Rose Bowl was the 85th Rose Bowl game and was played on Friday January 1, 1999 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. It was a college football bowl game at the end of the 1998 college football season. Wisconsin defeated by a score of 38-31. Ron Dayne of Wisconsin was named...
on January 1, 1999. He threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Durell Price
Durell Price
Durell Price was a football player for the UCLA Bruins and Sylmar High School Spartans between 1993 and 1999. Despite being highly regarded out of college, he was never drafted and did not make it to the NFL except for a short stint with the San Diego Chargers in 2000.-High school:Durell was a...
on a flea flicker
Flea flicker (American football)
A flea flicker is an unorthodox play in American football designed to fool the defensive team into thinking that a play is a run instead of a pass...
play in the first quarter of the loss to Wisconsin
1998 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 1998 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season.-Season:Wisconsin finished the regular season 10-1 overall and were co-champions of the Big Ten Conference for the first time since 1993...
.
In the summer prior to the 1999 season, Mitchell and Poli-Dixon worked out with Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
receivers Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
and Cris Carter
Cris Carter
Cristopher D. Carter is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles , the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins ....
in Florida. Mitchell, Poli-Dixon, Danny Farmer
Danny Farmer
Daniel Steven Farmer is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League and at UCLA. In 2000, he was drafted in the fourth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers....
, and the rest of the UCLA receiving corps called themselves "The Birds" for their ability to "fly all over the field." Mitchell was hampered by a knee cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...
issue throughout his redshirt sophomore season. Starting in place of the injured Farmer in the season-opener against Boise State
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
for his first career start, Mitchell had one catch for 11 yards from Drew Bennett
Drew Bennett
Andrew Russell "Drew" Bennett is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football at UCLA....
, one kickoff return for 15 yards, and four punt returns for 33 yards. In the next week in a loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, Mitchell again started in place of Farmer and gained 31 yards on two reverses, had four kickoff returns for 73 yards and completed a pass for 18 yards. In a 35–21 win over Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
on September 18, Mitchell, again starting in place of Farmer, caught nine passes for 149 yards, both career-highs. On September 25, in a 42–32 loss to Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
, Mitchell caught three passes for 23 yards in his fourth-straight start. He made one reception for seven yards and overthrew Price on a passing attempt against Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
on October 2. He caught four passes for 54 yards in his fifth start of the year as the Bruins won over the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
, 34–29, and against California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
, Mitchell made two receptions for 19 yards in a shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
loss. He led the team in receiving for three consecutive weeks to follow: in his sixth start of the season, a 55–7 blowout
Blowout (sports)
A blowout is an easy or one-sided victory. It occurs when one athletic team or individual performer outscores another by a large margin or in such a fashion that allows the second team or individual little chance of a victory from a point early in a competition, game, contest or event...
loss to Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
, he caught five passes for 58 yards; in the Bruins' third-straight loss, this time to Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
, he had 42 yards on four receptions; and in a 23–20 win in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
against Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
, he successfully received four passes for 82 yards, including a 43-yard pass from Ryan McCann. In the final game of the season, against USC, Mitchell caught five passes for 88 yards. He had a total of 38 catches for 533 yards with no touchdowns and six starts in 1999, and finished 15th in the Pac-10 in receptions with 3.5 per game and 17th in receiving yards with 48.5 per game.
Mitchell played baseball for the Bruins in the offseason prior to the 2000 football season. He was teammates with future Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
and introduced Utley to his future wife, Jennifer Cooper. Mitchell was drafted in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft
2000 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Compensation picks:- Background :The Florida Marlins made Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, CA the first overall selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft...
in the 50th round by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. Utley said of Mitchell's decision not to play baseball professionally, "he chose the right sport in football, that's for sure. He was a good batting practice hitter—that's about it. He wasn't quite the same once the game got going."
Mitchell earned preseason first-team All-Pac-10 honors from The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
and Lindy's Sports before the 2000 season as he prepared to take over the starting wide receiver job following Farmer's graduation. Mitchell, along with teammate Poli-Dixon, was named to the Fred Biletnikoff Award
Fred Biletnikoff Award
The Fred Biletnikoff Award has been presented since 1994 to America's top college football receiver by the TQC Foundation, Inc. , an independent not-for-profit organization which created the award in 1994 and has sponsored it since...
watchlist in the preseason. In the season-opener against third-ranked Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
, Mitchell threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Poli-Dixon on a trick play
Trick play
A trick play, also known as a gadget play or a gimmick play, is a play in American football that uses deception and unorthodox strategies to fool the opposing team. A trick play is often risky, offering the potential for a large gain or a touchdown if it is successful, but with the chance of a...
in the first quarter and made a 46-yard touchdown reception from McCann in the third quarter. He finished the game with four catches for 91 yards in the upset
Upset
An upset occurs in a competition, frequently in electoral politics or sports, when the party popularly expected to win , is defeated by an underdog whom the majority expects to lose, defying the conventional wisdom...
win. In the 24–21 win over Fresno State on September 9, Mitchell led the team in receiving with six receptions for 58 yards and a 20-yard touchdown pass from McCann. Mitchell's catches went into the double-digits against third-ranked Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
, as he had ten receptions for 137 yards in the 23–20 upset win on September 16. On September 23, in the third quarter of a 29–10 loss against Oregon, Mitchell caught what appeared to be a touchdown in the corner of the endzone, but was ruled out-of-bounds by the officials. The Bruins settled for a field goal on the drive and Mitchell explained after the game that "I knew it was a touchdown, you knew it was a touchdown, everybody does. The ref[eree] knew it too because he looked at me like he was sorry." On the next series, however, Mitchell caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Bennett. Mitchell finished the game with eight receptions for 158 yards. In a 38–31 comeback
Comeback
A comeback is the return of a person of public interest, a style or fashion in the mid-point of media interest. The term is predominantly used in politics, sports and pop music. In the case of a band, the term reunion is used...
win over Arizona State on September 30, he caught two touchdown passes from Cory Paus in the third quarter, one of which was for 80 yards, and had four total catches for 125 yards in the game. On October 14, in a triple-overtime loss to California, Mitchell made eight receptions for 167 yards and caught a 35-yard touchdown from Paus in the fourth quarter. Mitchell was named to the BCSfootball.com Midseason All-America team after posting 38 receptions for 736 yards and six touchdowns midway through the season. In a 44–38 loss to Oregon State, he recorded five catches for 94 yards. Mitchell was named a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award in late October. Mitchell made seven catches for 94 yards to help lead UCLA to a 27–24 win over Arizona on October 28. In a 37–35 win over Stanford, Mitchell caught a 41-yard touchdown pass from Paus in the fourth quarter and finished the game with seven catches for 185 yards. Mitchell made seven receptions for 65 yards in a 35–28 loss to the Washington Huskies on November 11. In a 38–35 loss to USC on November 18, Mitchell broke Farmer's single-season record of 1,274 yards in 1998 with 1,314 yards. He made four receptions for 140 yards and a four-yard touchdown in the game, and threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Poli-Dixon. Mitchell was named a Biletnikoff Award finalist in late November alongside Antonio Bryant
Antonio Bryant
Antonio Bryant is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
and Marvin Minnis
Marvin Minnis
Marvin "Snoop" Minnis is a former professional American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
of Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, but lost out to Bryant. Mitchell earned first-team All-America honors by the Walter Camp Football Foundation
Walter Camp Football Foundation
The Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year...
following the season, as well as first-team All-Pac-10 honors. He earned CNNSI.com
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
honorable mention All-America honors. He was named a winner of UCLA's Henry R. "Red" Sanders
Henry Russell Sanders
Henry Russell "Red" Sanders was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Vanderbilt University and the University of California at Los Angeles , compiling a career college football record of 102–41–3...
Award for Most Valuable Player, the winner of the George W. Dickerson
George W. Dickerson
-References:Bibliography* UCLA Football Media Guide...
Award for Outstanding Offensive Player against USC, and a winner of the Team Captain Award at the UCLA football award banquet.
In the 2000 Sun Bowl
2000 Sun Bowl
The 2000 Wells Fargo Sun Bowl featured the , and the Wisconsin Badgers.Wisconsin opened the scoring, after quarterback Brooks Bollinger threw a 54 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lee Evans for an early 7-0 lead. UCLA responded when Cory Paus threw a 64 yard touchdown pass to Freddie Mitchell...
against Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
on December 29, Mitchell made nine receptions for a Sun Bowl-record 180 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown catch. Though the Bruins lost the game 21–20, Mitchell said Badgers cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Jamar Fletcher
Jamar Fletcher
Jamar Mondell Fletcher is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent and lives in south Florida. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins 26th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin...
"couldn't stop [him]." Mitchell was called for two taunting penalties on Fletcher, but still won MVP honors following the game. Mitchell finished the season with 77 catches for 1,494 yards and nine touchdowns.
In October 2000, Mitchell told the Eugene Register-Guard that he was "definitely returning" for his senior season. By mid-November, however, he told the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
that he was "leaning to staying, but nothing's firm." Mitchell instead chose to forgo his senior year and entered the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in early January 2001. He stated, "I have had a great time, but it's time for me to give something back to my family." Mitchell said he would be quieter in the NFL: "You won't hear no more trash talking from Freddie Mitchell, those are the big boys, I'm just a little kid again. I'm humble." He had 77 catches for 1,494 yards and nine touchdowns in his career as a Bruin.
Pre-draft
After Mitchell declared for the 2001 NFL Draft2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
, one NFL scout told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in February, "I don't think he's as fast as people in the press try to say he is. He's absolutely fearless over the middle but he prefers to trap the ball instead of to extend for it. I don't think he has nearly the explosion to be considered a first." Mitchell was also criticized by scouts for his small frame and character concerns. Draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.-Career:With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com,...
rated Mitchell as the 16th-best prospect in the draft following the NFL Scouting Combine in which he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, and called him a player on the rise. Kiper also rated him as the fifth-best wide receiver in the draft and projected Mitchell to be drafted in the mid-first round following his performance at the Combine. In his March 5 mock draft
Mock draft
Mock draft is a term used by sports websites and magazines in reference to a simulation of a sports league draft or fantasy sports league's draft....
, Kiper projected Mitchell to be drafted by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
with the tenth overall selection. He ranked Mitchell as the 18th-best player in the draft on March 30. NFLDraftScout.com projected Mitchell to be drafted in the second round and rated him as the eighth-best wide receiver in the draft. Kiper ranked him the fourth-best wide receiver in the draft on April 2. In his April 10 mock draft, Kiper projected Mitchell to be drafted by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
with the 24th overall selection. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
ranked Mitchell as the sixth-best wide receiver in the draft. Mitchell hired Tom Condon
Tom Condon
Thomas Joseph Condon is an American football agent. He was named the most powerful agent in American football by Sporting News 2006, and heads the Football Division of Creative Artists Agency with fellow agent Ben Dogra....
of IMG Football as his agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
leading up to the draft.
2001 season
Mitchell was selected by the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round (25th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He was the fifth wide receiver taken in the draft. He worked out with new quarterback Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
before mini-camp started. Because of NCAA rules regarding graduation, Mitchell was unable to attend the Eagles' mini-camp until after UCLA's senior class graduated. He studied the Eagles' playbook in the meantime. He asked the NFL for an exemption, but the league refused, and he arrived for his first practice on June 18, 2001. Mitchell signed a five-year, $5.5 million contract with the Eagles on July 26, in time for the start of training camp. During training camp, Mitchell practiced as a backup behind James Thrash
James Thrash
James Thrash is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Missouri Southern State....
and Todd Pinkston
Todd Pinkston
Todd Pinkston is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles where he caught 184 passes for 2,816 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Eagles went to the playoffs every year that he started, including an appearance in...
. Mitchell suffered a hip pointer
Hip pointer
A hip pointer is a contusion on the pelvis caused by a direct blow to an iliac crest or hip bone. Contact sports are a frequent cause of this type of injury. The pain involved is due to the cluneal nerve that runs right along the Iliac Crest....
during the morning session on July 31, but returned for the afternoon session without limitation. A hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury limited him at the end of training camp. Before the start of the 2001 season
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
, head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Andy Reid
Andy Reid
Andrew Walter "Andy" Reid is the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, a post he has held since 1999. Since 2001, he has also been the team's executive vice president of football operations...
said, "Mentally, [Mitchell is] right there. He's picked everything up, he's a smart kid. He's wide-eyed, ready to learn. He's done a nice job when he's been in there."
Mitchell began the season as the team's fourth wide receiver behind Thrash, Pinkston, and Na Brown
Na Brown
Na Orlando Brown is a professional indoor football wide receiver for the Huntington Hammer of the Ultimate Indoor Football League. He has also played for three seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
. Mitchell's difficulty in learning the complex playbook, as well as the lingering hamstring injury, limited him in the Eagles' first six games of the season. In his first career NFL game, a week one matchup against the St. Louis Rams
2001 St. Louis Rams season
The 2001 St. Louis Rams season was the 64th season for the team in the National Football League and seventh season in St. Louis. The Rams set a franchise record for wins in a season , while also going a perfect 8-0 on the road. Quarterback Kurt Warner would go on to win his second league M.V.P....
on September 9, Mitchell played in a few snaps but was not thrown to. Mitchell was listed as "questionable" due to his hamstring injury before the start of the week two game against the Seattle Seahawks
2001 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2001 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's 26th season with the National Football League, finishing the season at 9-7. The Seahawks were in the playoff hunt until the very last game of the season; Baltimore's win over Minnesota on the last Monday Night game of the year ended Seattle's...
on September 23, and was not activated. Against the Dallas Cowboys
2001 Dallas Cowboys season
-Regular season:An eventful off-season created a lot buzz but little change in the Cowboys' fortunes. Franchise quarterback Troy Aikman, after suffering a pair of concussions the previous season, was released by the team...
in week three on September 30, Mitchell returned to the field and caught his first pass, which went for no gain. In weeks four and six, against the Arizona Cardinals
2001 Arizona Cardinals season
-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:-References:**...
and New York Giants
2001 New York Giants season
The New York Giants' 2001 season saw them return as Super Bowl runners-up, after losing Super Bowl XXXV to the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants finished with a 7–9 record and failed to qualify for the play-offs.-NFL Draft:-Season:...
, respectively, Mitchell recorded no catches. In week seven against the Oakland Raiders
2001 Oakland Raiders season
-AFC Divisional Playoff:-References:...
, he made a catch for 15 yards.
Due to Brown's ineffective play, Mitchell replaced him as the Eagles' slot receiver in week eight against the Cardinals and had four receptions for 62 yards. In a week nine game against the Minnesota Vikings
2001 Minnesota Vikings season
2001 was the 41st year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Tragedy struck the Minnesota Vikings in the summer of 2001, when Offensive Lineman Korey Stringer died of heat stroke in training camp in Mankato, Minnesota...
on November 11, Mitchell caught three passes for 38 yards and had one rushing attempt for 12 yards. He caught two passes for 15 yards and had one rush for a loss of 16 yards in week ten against the Cowboys. Mitchell was listed as "probable" on the team's injury report due to a shoulder injury before a week eleven game against the Washington Redskins
2001 Washington Redskins season
The 2001 Washington Redskins season began with the team trying to improve on their 8–8 record from 2000.-NFL Draft:-Free agents:-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-References:...
, but did not record any catches in the game. He made three receptions for 60 yards in a week twelve win over the Kansas City Chiefs
2001 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2001 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the arrival of the franchise's ninth head coach, Dick Vermeil and ended with a 6–10 record and fourth place in the AFC West....
on November 29, and Reid said, "Every week we're giving Freddie a little bit more responsibility and he's coming along very well right now." In a week thirteen game against the San Diego Chargers
2001 San Diego Chargers season
-Schedule:-Standings:-References:...
, Mitchell caught one pass for five yards and attempted a pass off of a reverse that was knocked down. Against Washington in week 14, Mitchell caught his first career touchdown pass, a four-yard reception in the second quarter. He had two catches for 27 yards in the game. Mitchell caught two passes in each of the next two games for a total of 61 yards.
Mitchell made his first two career starts in week seventeen and in a wild card playoff game win against the Buccaneers. He did not record any receptions in either game. Against the Chicago Bears
2001 Chicago Bears season
The 2001 Chicago Bears season was their 82nd regular season and 23rd postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a surprising 13-3 record under head coach Dick Jauron en route to an NFC Central title and the number two seed in the NFC...
in a divisional playoff game win on January 19, Mitchell caught two passes for 14 yards. In the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
against the Rams on January 27, Mitchell caught one pass for two yards. A pass intended for him on a fourth-down play was intercepted by Rams defensive back Aeneas Williams
Aeneas Williams
Aeneas Demetrius Williams is a former American football cornerback and free safety, who played with the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams. Williams attended Fortier High School, where he played football on a team with three future NFL players. Although he was admitted to Dartmouth College,...
to clinch the win for St. Louis. Mitchell finished the season with 21 receptions for 283 yards and one touchdown.
2002 season
After the Eagles signed Antonio FreemanAntonio Freeman
Antonio Michael Freeman is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League, most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, dominating his high school conference. Freeman played college football at Virginia Tech...
to a one-year contract in August 2002, Mitchell was demoted to the fourth wide receiver behind Pinkston, Thrash, and Freeman. Mitchell mainly contributed on special teams for the Eagles throughout the 2002 season
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
. In the first fifteen weeks of the season, Mitchell caught a total of six passes for 53 yards as a backup. Against the Cowboys
2002 Dallas Cowboys season
-Offseason:Despite an off-season filled with promise, the season would again prove to be a disaster. Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator and head coach Bruce Coslet was brought in to run the offense for Dallas. Even though he was dismissed by Cincinnati, his history of high-powered...
in week sixteen, Pinkston left the game due to turf toe
Turf toe
A metatarsalphalangeal joint sprain is an injury to the joint and connective tissue between the foot and one of the toes. When the big toe is involved, it is known as "turf toe".-Causes:...
, and Mitchell caught two passes for 17 yards in his place. Mitchell started in place of Pinkston in the last regular season game against the Giants
2002 New York Giants season
The 2002 New York Giants season was the team's 78th season in the National Football League. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 7–9, winning ten games and making a playoff appearance. They ended the season on a four game winning streak....
on December 28, and led the team in receiving with four catches for 35 yards.
Mitchell only caught twelve passes for 105 yards over the entire season. It was after this dismal performance, despite having the benefit of Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Donovan McNabb passing to him, that Mitchell began to be labeled as a "bust."
2003 season
Mitchell competed with rookie Billy McMullenBilly McMullen
Wilbur "Billy" Anthony McMullen, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
for the third wide receiver position in 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
after Freeman left the Eagles following the 2002 season. He eventually beat out McMullen for the slot receiver job. Eagles staff and players called Mitchell one of the most improved players in training camp. Donovan McNabb commented that Mitchell's "offseason workouts as well as his mindset has been a whole lot different."
In the first four weeks of the season, Mitchell caught six passes for 55 yards. Mitchell had one catch for 29 yards against the Redskins
2003 Washington Redskins season
The 2003 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 7-9 record from 2002.-Schedule:-Standings:...
on October 5, and he recovered a Redskins onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
to clinch the win for the Eagles. He had one reception for 27 yards in a game against the Cowboys
2003 Dallas Cowboys season
2003 marked the 44th season for the Dallas Cowboys organization as the team, coming off three consecutive 5–11 seasons, hired former New York Giants and New England Patriots coach Bill Parcells....
in week six. Mitchell started in week seven in place of Pinkston against the Giants
2003 New York Giants season
The 2003 New York Giants season was the team's 79th season in the National Football League. The team was unable to duplicate their 2002 season's playoff appearance, instead only winning four games and finishing the season on an eight game losing streak which cost head coach Jim Fassel his...
but recorded no catches. Against the New York Jets
2003 New York Jets season
The 2003 New York Jets season was the 44th season for the team, and the 34th in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 2002 and defend its AFC East title. The Jets finished the season with a record of 6–10....
in week eight, he had two catches for 29 yards. In week nine against the Atlanta Falcons
2003 Atlanta Falcons season
The 2003 Atlanta Falcons season is best remembered for in the 3rd preseason game, the QB Michael Vick broke his leg and was done for most of the season. Atlanta had 2 other QBs take over for a combined 2-10 record. Vick returned in week 14 and ended the season with a 3-1 record.-NFL...
, Mitchell caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from McNabb and finished with two catches for 43 yards. He made seven receptions in the next two games for 83 yards. Against the New Orleans Saints in week twelve, Mitchell started and made two receptions for 24 yards. In weeks thirteen and fourteen, he had a combined six catches for 98 yards. On December 15, in a week fifteen game against the Miami Dolphins
2003 Miami Dolphins season
The 2003 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 38th as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins improved upon their previous season's output of 9–7, instead winning 10 games. This marked the second consecutive winning season for the team, however, they failed to clinch a playoff berth...
, Mitchell threw his first touchdown pass, a 25-yard pass to Brian Westbrook
Brian Westbrook
Brian Collins Westbrook is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at Villanova...
, and caught two passes for 30 yards in the 34–27 win. Against the San Francisco 49ers
2003 San Francisco 49ers season
The 49ers entered their 2003 season attempting to improve upon their 10-6 output from the previous year.-Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears:Sunday, September 7, 2003 at San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point, San Francisco, California...
in week sixteen on December 21, Mitchell made two catches for 23 yards and caught an eight-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of a week seventeen game against the Redskins on December 27. He had four catches for 47 yards in the game.
Perhaps Mitchell's biggest on-field contribution came on January 11, 2004, in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Packers. Late in the game, with the Eagles losing by three points and facing a 4th and 26
4th and 26
4th and 26 is the commonly used name for a famous play on Sunday, January 11, 2004, during the 2003–04 NFL playoffs. The play occurred during the fourth quarter of a divisional playoff game between the visiting Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in...
situation, Mitchell caught a 28-yard pass for a first down. The Eagles tied the score on the same drive and won the game in overtime. Mitchell had another catch for nine yards in the game. In the NFC Championship Game on January 18 against the Carolina Panthers, he caught four passes for 38 yards in the loss. Mitchell had 35 catches for 498 yards and two touchdowns in 2003.
2004 season
With the Eagles' acquisition of wide receiver Terrell OwensTerrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
and the departure of Thrash, Mitchell kept his role as the slot receiver in 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
. Peter King
Peter King (sportswriter)
Peter King is an American sportswriter. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated and its Web site, including the weekly multiple-page column Monday Morning Quarterback. He is the author of five books, most notably Inside the Helmet, as well as a TV analyst and reporter...
said Mitchell had "a great training camp" and that he "might be having the best camp of any player I've seen this summer." He made seven receptions in the first four weeks of the season for a total of 118 yards receiving, including three catches for 71 yards against the Detroit Lions
2004 Detroit Lions season
The 2004 Detroit Lions season began with the team trying to improve on their 5–11 record in 2003.-Staff:-Final roster:-Schedule:-References:...
in week three. He started against the Panthers
2004 Carolina Panthers season
-Regular season:-References:...
on October 17 in week six but did not record any catches. In the following three weeks, Mitchell only had two receptions for 31 yards, with both catches coming against the Cleveland Browns
2004 Cleveland Browns season
The 2004 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 52nd season with the National Football League.- Schedule :-End of Butch Davis era:On November 30, Butch Davis resigned as Head Coach and General Manager of the team. He was succeeded by offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie. Robiskie promoted tight end...
in week seven. His most notable catch of the season was a 60-yard reception during the Eagles' November 15, 2004, Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the Cowboys
2004 Dallas Cowboys season
Even before 2004 season began, the Cowboys would face adversity and be forced to adjust. Coming off their first winning season in 5 years, the team, under Bill Parcells direction, would continue to bring in veteran talent and draft promising prospects. In the off-season, the Cowboys would sign...
. This catch is remembered primarily for the manner in which McNabb extended the play by eluding the Cowboys' pass rush for 14.1 seconds before eventually throwing to Mitchell. Over the subsequent four weeks, Mitchell had one reception in each game for a combined 54 yards. He began to openly voice his frustration over the limited role he continued to play in the Eagles' offense due to Owens' prominence. At one point during the season, after he made a catch, Mitchell would point to his wrist as if to say "it's about time." In a week fifteen game against the Cowboys, Owens suffered an ankle injury and was expected to miss the remainder of the season. Mitchell, who suffered a quad contusion during the game, did not make a catch against Dallas, but was named the starter in Owens' place opposite Pinkston. Against the Rams
2004 St. Louis Rams season
The 2004 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 67th year with the National Football League and the 10th season in St. Louis.-Schedule:-Playoffs:...
in week sixteen, Mitchell caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from McNabb in the first quarter and finished the game with two receptions for 28 yards. In the final game of the regular season against the Cincinnati Benagals
2004 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2004 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 37th year in professional football and its 35th with the National Football League.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-References:* * *...
, Mitchell had six receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown. He finished the season with only 22 catches.
In a divisional playoff game against the Vikings on January 16, 2005, Mitchell caught a two-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and celebrated by feigning to pull his pants up, a reference to the touchdown celebration by Vikings' wide receiver Randy Moss, who pretended to pull his pants down to moon
Mooning
Mooning is the act of displaying one's bare buttocks by removing clothing, e.g., by lowering the backside of one's trousers and underpants, usually bending over, whether also exposing the genitals or not...
Green Bay fans the week before and was heavily criticized for doing so. Mitchell recovered an L. J. Smith fumble in the endzone for a touchdown in the second quarter, and finished the game with a team-high five receptions for 65 yards. In a press conference after the game, Mitchell said, "I just want to thank my hands for being so great." He had two receptions for 20 yards against the Atlanta Falcons
2004 Atlanta Falcons season
-Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1:The Falcons began their season by traveling to San Francisco, where Falcons head coach Jim L. Mora had coached the last five years as the 49ers defensive coordinator, to play the San Francisco 49ers...
in the NFC Championship Game on January 23. In the game, Mitchell sported a well-publicized frohawk.
Super Bowl controversy
The Eagles finished the 2004 season with a 13–3 record and earned a trip to Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
, where they were to play the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Champion New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. During the week leading up to the game, Mitchell sat for a short ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
interview conducted by Dan Patrick
Dan Patrick
Daniel Patrick Pugh , professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio...
. Asked to identify the members of the Patriots' secondary, Mitchell claimed he did not know them by name, only by number, and then deliberately stated each of their numbers incorrectly. Finally, he said he "had something" for safety Rodney Harrison
Rodney Harrison
Rodney Scott Harrison is a retired professional football player of the National Football League. Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots...
. Harrison responded by calling Mitchell a "jerk." Normally tight-lipped coach Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
later said of Mitchell, "[a]ll he does is talk. He's terrible, and you can print that. I was happy when he was in the game." Mitchell caught only one pass for 11 yards in the 24–21 loss. After the Super Bowl, Mitchell continued to sound off in interviews in which he criticized the Patriots, as well as Belichick, saying that the way the Patriots reacted reminded him of "little girls."
Later career
Mitchell held out from the Eagles' mini-camp in late April 2005, with Andy Reid stating, "I did not want him here." Mitchell was released from the team on May 6. He finished his career with the Eagles with 90 receptions for 1,263 yards and five touchdowns.Mitchell worked out for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on June 6, 2005, following his release from the Eagles. He signed with the Chiefs on June 17 after Az-Zahir Hakim
Az-Zahir Hakim
Az-Zahir Ali Hakim is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
decided against signing with the team. Mitchell did not receive a signing bonus
Signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee, e.g., if the annual salary is lower than he or she desires...
. He began practicing with the team on the last day of mini-camps, June 18, and received extra practice with the coaches the following week. He suffered a knee injury during practice on July 30 and was scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery the following week, but declined to go through with it. He was released on September 2 due to concerns about his knee. Mitchell elected to have knee surgery on September 6 following his release.
Mitchell worked out for several teams after his release from the Chiefs, but did not sign a contract with any of them. He worked out for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on October 25, 2005, the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on August 6, 2006, the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 11, 2006, the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
on February 11, 2007, the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
on July 26, 2007, and the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on May 29, 2008.
Personal
Mitchell's first cousin is former running back Rod SmartRod Smart
Rod Smart is a former professional American football player. He played college football for the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, and began his professional career in the short-lived XFL league, where he played running back for the Las Vegas Outlaws and was known by the nickname "He Hate Me"...
, who played on the Eagles with Mitchell in 2001. Mitchell had several nicknames during his tenure in Philadelphia. These included "Fast Freddie," the "Sultan of Slot," "First Down Freddie," "FredEx" (claiming he "always delivers"), the "People's Champ," and "Hollywood."
Mitchell appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
while on UCLA's campus, deliberately answering questions incorrectly. He appeared on A Dating Story
A Dating Story
A Dating Story was a Banyan Productions, American-centric television show that featured a real-life matchmaker selecting two people they have always wanted to "fix-up"...
, a reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show, in May 2002. In the episode, Mitchell took Tiffany Schmid to an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
for their date. Mitchell, as well as several other NFL players, received threatening hate mail
Hate mail
Hate mail is a form of harassment, usually consisting of invective and potentially intimidating or threatening comments towards the recipient...
in 2003, apparently due to his appearance on the reality show with Schmid as a mixed-race couple at the time.
According to sports blog Deadspin
Deadspin
Deadspin is a sports website owned by Gawker Media and was launched in September 2005. As of February 2010, the site had attracted over 462 million unique visitors and about 573 million page views....
, on November 27, 2006, Mitchell served as a substitute teacher at Mishawaka High School
Mishawaka High School
Mishawaka High School is a public high school located in Mishawaka, Indiana. The school educates about 1,700 students and is part of the School City of Mishawaka district.-History:...
in Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River and a Twin city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 48,252 as of the 2010 Census...
.
In the summer of 2008, Mitchell returned to his hometown of Lakeland and bought a local barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
restaurant called "Brothers' Bar-B-Que." In February 2009, Mitchell was under investigation when a package containing 7 pounds (3.2 kg) of marijuana was delivered to his business. Mitchell was briefly detained, but was not charged. The restaurant was closed briefly in June for violations, but reopened shortly thereafter. On September 3, 2009, the restaurant was closed and Mitchell was named in a suit for failure to make payments on the business. Mitchell officially lost the restaurant in September 2009 after a court ruling. In December 2009, Mitchell was pulled over for speeding in suburban Philadelphia. Due to an outstanding warrant for failure to pay child support, he was arrested on charges of being a fugitive from justice, and was later released on $250,000 bail.
In January 2011, Mitchell appeared on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker
Millionaire Matchmaker
Millionaire Matchmaker is a television series produced by Bravo and presented by Patti Stanger. Stanger founded the Beverly Hills-based "Millionaire's Club" in 2000 to cater to wealthy men looking for partners...
, a dating show in which Patti Stanger
Patti Stanger
Patti Stanger is a Jewish-American matchmaker and television producer with her own Bravo TV show called The Millionaire Matchmaker. She is the founder and CEO of Millionaire's Club International Inc., a professional matchmaking service for millionaires.-Early life and education:Adopted into a...
sets millionaires up to find love. Mitchell's finaceé left him after Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005 after they had been together for two years.