Keith Mitchell obit

Former Saints linebacker Keith Mitchell passes away at age 51

 

He was not on the list.

Former New Orleans Saints linebacker Keith Mitchell passed away on Thursday, in news first released by KBTX. It was later confirmed by the team. Mitchell was just 51 and cause of his death has not yet been made available. Before a standout seven-year NFL career, Mitchell was a star linebacker with the Texas A&M Aggies.

At Texas A&M, Mitchell had 34 sacks and an additional 18.5 tackles for loss. His 14.5 sacks and added 10.5 stops for negative yardage in 1996 earned him first team All-American honors. Despite his outstanding production, Mitchell's perceived lack of size caused him to go undrafted in the 1997 NFL Draft. New Orleans took a chance on him, bringing him in as an undrafted rookie. He rewarded their faith by carving out an immediate role and earning a starting job by his second season.

Mitchell played for the Saints for five seasons and started 59 of 64 contests between 1998 and 2001. During his five years with New Orleans he had 19.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 21 passes broken up, 9 fumbles forced, 8 fumbles recovered, and scored 2 defensive touchdowns. Mitchell earned Pro Bowl honors in 2000 with both of those scores, a career-best 6.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and 4 fumbles recovered.

Keith Mitchell played the last two years of his career with the Texans and Jaguars. A spinal injury suffered in 2003 with Jacksonville ended his career. Despite the injury hampering his mobility, Mitchell overcame it to become a motivational speaker, author, and yoga/fitness instructor.

He played for the Saints from 1997 through 2001 and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2000. He also played for the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars during his professional football career.

The Saints extend their sympathies to the Mitchell family during these challenging times