Kawika Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Kawika Uilani Mitchell (born October 10, 1979 in Winter Springs, Florida
) is an American football
linebacker
who currently is a free agent
. He was originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
in the second round in the 2003 NFL Draft
. He has also been a member of the New York Giants
, Buffalo Bills
, and New Orleans Saints
. He played college football
at South Florida
.
in Winter Park, Florida
, and as a senior, he was named Class 6A player of the year as well as a first team All-Florida pick and finished his senior season with 110 tackles on defense, and 41 rushing attempts for 225 yards with an average of 5.5 yards, and five touchdowns on offense. In middle school he played Pop Warner Football for the Eagles, where he carried an underweight second string defensive lineman, Brian Schoenbaum, on his back 70 yards into the end zone during practice.
career with the University of Georgia
, but transferred to the South Florida Bulls
after his freshman year. During his career he made 367 tackles, a school record, and he was nominated for the Butkus Award as a junior and senior.
. Although he had played all of his career at middle linebacker, he won the weak side linebacker spot from Gerris Wilkinson
and started the 2007 season alongside Giants Pro Bowl
MLB Antonio Pierce
and recently converted strong side LB Mathias Kiwanuka
. After Kiwanuka fractured his fibula in the tenth week of the season, Reggie Torbor
moved into the starting lineup with Mitchell and Pierce. Mitchell struggled in season-opening losses to the Dallas Cowboys
and Green Bay Packers
. His play rapidly improved thereafter, and he made game-changing plays in critical wins over the Washington Redskins
in week 3 and the Buffalo Bills
in week 16. Mitchell suffered a knee sprain in the season finale against the undefeated New England Patriots
, but came back to register the first of five sacks for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
.
Mitchell became an unrestricted free agent after the 2007-2008 season after spending just one season with the Giants.
signed Mitchell to a five-year contract for $17.5M. Mitchell was expected to take over the starting weakside linebacker position that was shared by Coy Wire
and Keith Ellison in 2007.
On September 10, 2010, two days before their season started, the Bills put Mitchell on the IR ending his season. On October 2, 2010 the Buffalo Bills came to an injury settlement with the Linebacker and released him, making him an unrestricted free agent. On December 8, 2010 he signed with the New Orleans Saints.
Winter Springs, Florida
Winter Springs is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 31,666 at the 2000 census. According to the 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 32,727...
) is an American football
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...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who currently is a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was originally drafted by 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...
in the second round in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He has also been a member of the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. He played college 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...
at South Florida
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
.
Early years
Mitchell attended Lake Howell High SchoolLake Howell High School
Lake Howell High School is a comprehensive four-year high school located in Central Florida, USA. Home of the Silver Hawks, it has been designated a "B" High School by the Florida Department of Education in 2009. It was previously an "A+" high school in 2008...
in Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and as a senior, he was named Class 6A player of the year as well as a first team All-Florida pick and finished his senior season with 110 tackles on defense, and 41 rushing attempts for 225 yards with an average of 5.5 yards, and five touchdowns on offense. In middle school he played Pop Warner Football for the Eagles, where he carried an underweight second string defensive lineman, Brian Schoenbaum, on his back 70 yards into the end zone during practice.
College career
Kawika Mitchell started his college footballCollege 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...
career with the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, but transferred to the South Florida Bulls
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
after his freshman year. During his career he made 367 tackles, a school record, and he was nominated for the Butkus Award as a junior and senior.
New York Giants
On March 26, 2007, he agreed to a one year, $1 million deal with the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Although he had played all of his career at middle linebacker, he won the weak side linebacker spot from Gerris Wilkinson
Gerris Wilkinson
Gerris Vernard Bowers Wilkinson is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
and started the 2007 season alongside Giants 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...
MLB Antonio Pierce
Antonio Pierce
Antonio Durran Pierce is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football at Arizona....
and recently converted strong side LB Mathias Kiwanuka
Mathias Kiwanuka
Mathias Kagimu Kiwanuka is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was originally drafted 32nd overall in the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football at Boston College. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII.-Early...
. After Kiwanuka fractured his fibula in the tenth week of the season, Reggie Torbor
Reggie Torbor
Reggie Jermaine Torbor is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn.Torbor has also played for the Miami Dolphins...
moved into the starting lineup with Mitchell and Pierce. Mitchell struggled in season-opening losses to 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...
and 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...
. His play rapidly improved thereafter, and he made game-changing plays in critical wins over the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in week 3 and the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week 16. Mitchell suffered a knee sprain in the season finale against the undefeated 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...
, but came back to register the first of five sacks for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
.
Mitchell became an unrestricted free agent after the 2007-2008 season after spending just one season with the Giants.
Buffalo Bills
On February 29, 2008, the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
signed Mitchell to a five-year contract for $17.5M. Mitchell was expected to take over the starting weakside linebacker position that was shared by Coy Wire
Coy Wire
Coy Michael Wire is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford.-Atlanta Falcons:...
and Keith Ellison in 2007.
On September 10, 2010, two days before their season started, the Bills put Mitchell on the IR ending his season. On October 2, 2010 the Buffalo Bills came to an injury settlement with the Linebacker and released him, making him an unrestricted free agent. On December 8, 2010 he signed with the New Orleans Saints.