Keith Mitchell, a former New Orleans Saints linebacker and Pro Bowl selection, has died at age 51, according to a report by KBTX-TV in Bryan, Texas.
Mitchell arrived in New Orleans in 1997 as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M and carved out a long run as both a starter and a key special teams player. Over five seasons with the Saints from 1997 to 2001, he piled up 272 solo tackles, including 20 tackles for loss.
His biggest year came in 2000, when he helped power a Saints team that won the NFC West Division title and earned the first playoff victory in franchise history. In New Orleans’ 31-28 win over the St. Louis Rams in the NFC Wild Card playoffs, Mitchell recorded three tackles and sacked Rams quarterback Kurt Warner.
That same season, he also made his mark on the scoreboard. Mitchell returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown in a 21-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, then brought back a fumble 90 yards for another touchdown in a 20-10 win against the Carolina Panthers.
Mitchell is one of just eight linebackers in Saints franchise history to make the Pro Bowl. He wrapped up his NFL career with one-year stops in Houston and Jacksonville, playing for the Texans and Jaguars.
Before the NFL, Mitchell was part of Texas A&M’s famed “Wrecking Crew” defense from 1993-96. He earned All-Southwest Conference honors in 1995, then followed that with an All-Big 12 selection and a College Football News All-America nod in 1996.
In Other News...
Browns Fans Should Not Ignore The Buzz Around This Day 3 Pick
Joe Royer is the kind of Day 3 tight end pick that can slip under the radar at first glance, but the Browns may have landed a player with a real chance to stick. The Cincinnati product came to the NFL after starting at Ohio State and then transferring to Cincinnati, where he emerged as one of the more productive tight ends in the program and gave himself a much bigger platform heading into the draft.
What makes Royer worth tracking from Clevelands side is the way people around him talk about his game and makeup. Cincinnati tight ends coach Josh Stepp praised Royer as hardworking, competitive and a player with strong ball skills, the sort of traits that can matter in a tight end room where every roster spot has to be earned. For a Browns team always searching for useful depth and hidden value late in the draft, Royer is the kind of name that could end up looking a lot bigger later on. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Face A Tough Tight End Decision Sooner Than Expected
Harold Fannin Jr. gives Cleveland something it has been looking for at tight end, a young player entering his second season who can grow with Todd Monkens offense. Even with that in place, the Browns are the kind of team that has to keep one eye on the market, especially when general manager Andrew Berry has already signaled a willingness to be aggressive if the right opportunity comes along.
Ben Solak floated a scenario that would put the position back on the front burner, with Detroit potentially having to weigh tough decisions around its own tight end room because of cap pressures. If a proven player at that spot were ever to become available, Cleveland would have reason to listen, and the Browns also have the draft capital to make a move if they decide the price is worth it. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Monken Can Fix One Browns Problem Before Camp Gets Messy
The Browns spent 2024 fighting a self-inflicted problem that went beyond scheme or talent. Clevelands offense was the NFLs most penalized unit, and too many of those flags came before the ball was even snapped, the kind of breakdowns that wreck drives and make every series feel longer than it should. With Mike Vrabel brought in as a coaching and personnel consultant during the season and Todd Monken now taking over as head coach, the organization has spent the offseason trying to clean up the details that kept the offense from finding any rhythm.
Monken inherits a roster that has been reshaped with that goal in mind, including a heavy investment in offense and a line that has been overhauled. The bigger challenge is making sure the same mistakes do not follow the Browns into camp, especially after a stretch of quarterback instability that has made every offensive issue feel magnified. If the operation gets sharper early, it can help settle a team that has spent too long reacting to chaos instead of controlling it. [Read more 🡒]