Brian Mitchell will be eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009, but for now he'll settle for induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Mitchell, who starred for the Redskins from 1990-99 as a running back and kick return specialist, was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame during ceremonies in Natchitoches, La., on June 23.
Another former Redskin, quarterback Stan Humphries, was also inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Humphries played for the Redskins from 1988-91.
Mitchell was a standout quarterback at Plaquemine High School in Plaquemine, La.
At the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, he became the first quarterback in NCAA Division I history to pass for 5,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards. He finished with 5,447 passing yards and 3,335 rushing yards, setting school marks.
Mitchell led the Ragin' Cajuns to four straight winning seasons and capped his college career in 1989 by passing for 1,966 yards and rushing for 1,311 yards. He still holds school marks for rushing touchdowns in a game (five), season (19) and career (47).
Mitchell was drafted by the Redskins in the fifth round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He quickly became one of the more popular players in franchise history and helped the Redskins win Super Bowl XXVI.
After stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, Mitchell retired after the 2004 season. He holds NFL career records for total kick return yards (19,013), combined kick returns (1,070), combined kick return touchdowns (13), kickoff return yards (14,014), punt return yards (4,999), kickoff returns (607) and punt returns (463).
In 223 career games, Mitchell averaged 23.1 yards on kickoff returns and 10.8 yards on punt returns. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 1995 as a member of the Redskins.
Humphries was a sixth-round draft pick by the Redskins in 1988. He played in 10 games with the Redskins from 1989-91 and was a backup quarterback on the Super Bowl XXVI championship team.
Humphries grew up in Shreveport, La., and led University of Louisiana-Monroe (then Northeast Louisiana University) to a Division I-AA championship in 1987.
