Brian Mitchell belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On Saturday, Devin Hester became the first primary return specialist to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. During his speech, Hester acknowledged Mitchell and another phenomenal return specialist, Joshua Cribbs.
“I hope me being here today opens up the doors and brings some attention to other guys like Brian Mitchell and Josh Cribbs,” Hester said. “Because I’m not the only returner who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame; I’m just the first.”
Mitchell’s case for Canton is simple. In 14 NFL seasons, Mitchell finished his career as the NFL’s second-all-time leader in total yardage, behind only Jerry Rice. Mitchell spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Washington but departed after the 1999 season. His departure created a rift with the organization, and Mitchell played three more seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and his final season with the New York Giants.
Mitchell made amends with the organization after his retirement and has worked in the media for years, covering the team.
Mitchell receiving acknowledgement from Hester went over well with Washington fans. We took to Twitter to see some of the best reactions.