Keith Mitchell, a former New Orleans Saints linebacker and Pro Bowl selection, has died at 51, according to a report from 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 with the Saints. He developed into a starter and also made his mark as a special teams standout.
His peak came in 2000, when he was a key piece for 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 a sack of Rams quarterback Kurt Warner.
Over five seasons with the Saints from 1997 to 2001, Mitchell finished with 272 solo tackles, including 20 tackles for loss. That 2000 season also featured two huge defensive scores: a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 21-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals and a 90-yard fumble return for a touchdown in a 20-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Mitchell is one of just eight linebackers in Saints franchise history to make the Pro Bowl. He later spent one season each with the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars to close out his NFL career.
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 was an All-Big 12 selection and College Football News All-America selection in 1996.
In Other News...
Iowa Taking Extra Precautions For Bananas Crowd At Kinnick
With two sold-out Savannah Bananas games set for Kinnick Stadium on July 3 and 4, Iowa is treating the summer showcase like more than just a novelty act. The university is putting extra heat-relief measures in place for the late-night starts, including hydration stations, shaded areas, cooling stations and an air-conditioned first-aid tent, while also allowing fans to bring one sealed water bottle or one empty refillable bottle into the stadium.
The planning goes beyond convenience, with Johnson County Ambulance Services staging two UTVs and UI Health Care and Carver College of Medicine personnel on site, including physicians, nurses, athletic trainers and medical students. Iowa is also urging fans to pre-hydrate, dress for the weather, seek shade when they can and watch for signs of heat-related illness, a reminder that even a party atmosphere at Kinnick still comes with the realities of a Midwestern July. [Read more 🡒]
Ben McCollum Just Made An Aggressive Move For Elite Size
Ben McCollum is already putting a clear stamp on Iowas recruiting approach, and it starts with size. The Hawkeyes have extended a scholarship offer to Bentley Lusakueno, a 6-foot-10 center from Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia, giving the program a foothold with one of the most intriguing young big men in the country. Lusakueno is still early in his high school career, but his profile has been building quickly, and his place among the top prospects in the 2028 class reflects how much attention he is already drawing.
The offer matters because Iowa is not entering a quiet race. Lusakueno already has multiple Division I suitors, and the list includes several programs with strong national recruiting reputations. He also has USA Basketball experience on his rsum, which only adds to the sense that this is the kind of prospect whose recruitment could keep expanding. For McCollum and the Hawkeyes, getting involved now is the aggressive part. The harder part is figuring out how much traction they can build from here. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa May Have Found Another Cooper DeJean In Zach Lutmer
Zach Lutmer has quietly become one of the more intriguing defenders on Iowas roster, and the reason is easy to understand. In 2025, the Hawkeyes found a defensive back whose size and production naturally invite the Cooper DeJean comparison, even if the path to getting there looks a little different. Lutmer has shown the kind of flexibility Iowa has long valued, handling multiple jobs in the secondary and giving the defense a piece it can move around rather than a player locked into one lane.
What makes Lutmer especially interesting is that his value may come from that versatility as much as from any one standout trait. He can line up at corner, safety, or in a hybrid role, and that gives Iowa a different kind of weapon than the pure lockdown corner DeJean was. If Lutmer keeps developing at this pace, the Hawkeyes may not just have found a familiar name to compare him to, but a player capable of building a legacy that belongs entirely to him. [Read more 🡒]