Lydell Mitchell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lydell Mitchell

Mitchell in 1977
No. 26, 22
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1949-05-30) May 30, 1949 (age 76) Salem, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	204 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Salem (NJ)
College:	Penn State (1969-1971)
NFL Draft:	1972 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48
Career history
Baltimore Colts (1972–1977) San Diego Chargers (1978–1979) Los Angeles Rams (1980)
Career highlights and awards
2× Second-team All-Pro (1976, 1977) 3× Pro Bowl (1975–1977) 2× NFL receptions leader (1974, 1977) First-team All-American (1971) First-team All-East (1971)
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 111 Starts: 84 Rushing yards: 6,534 (3.9 average) Rushing TDs: 30 Receptions: 376 Receiving yards: 3,203 Receiving TDs: 17
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Lydell Douglas Mitchell (born May 30, 1949) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) from 1972 to 1980. During his nine years in the NFL, Mitchell played for the Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers, and Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Penn State University.

At Penn State, Mitchell set many records for rushing and scoring. In the NFL, he was known for being good at both running with the ball and catching passes. He was chosen for the All-Pro Second-Team twice (1976, 1977). He also played in the Pro Bowl three times (1975–1977). Mitchell was the first player for the Colts to run for over 1,000 yards in one season. He did this three times. He also led the NFL in receptions (catches) in 1974 and 1977.

Early Life and High School Football

Lydell Mitchell was born on May 30, 1949, in Salem, New Jersey. He went to Salem High School. There, he played football, basketball, and baseball.

In high school football, Mitchell was named All-South Jersey as a sophomore. As a junior, he got hurt but still received an honorable mention. In his senior year, Mitchell was again named All-South Jersey. After high school, Mitchell earned a football scholarship to play at Penn State.

College Football Career

Mitchell played college football at Penn State. He joined the team with future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris. They played for coach Joe Paterno. As a freshman, Mitchell led the Penn State freshman team in rushing and scoring. His first two years were very good, and he and Harris were a strong running duo. Mitchell's senior year was one of the best in Penn State history. He set several school and NCAA records.

Mitchell was honored by being put into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

1969 Season: A Strong Start

As a sophomore, Mitchell made an immediate impact. He and Franco Harris joined the main team. They helped Penn State have its second straight undefeated season (11-0). The team finished #2 in the AP poll. They won the 1970 Orange Bowl against #6 Missouri 10-3. Mitchell caught a 28-yard touchdown pass in that game. He shared playing time but still ran for 616 yards and six touchdowns.

1970 Season: Overcoming Injuries

In 1970, Mitchell and Harris continued to play well. Penn State started the year ranked #7. They beat Navy 55-7. Mitchell ran for 145 yards in that game. Penn State then lost two games and Mitchell got a leg injury. This made him miss a game against Syracuse. Penn State won their last five games, finishing 7-3. Mitchell ended the season with 751 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

1971 Season: Record-Breaking Year

Mitchell's senior season in 1971 was one of the best individual performances at Penn State. In the first game against Navy, he scored five touchdowns and ran for 103 yards. This broke a Penn State scoring record from 1917. The next week against Iowa, Mitchell ran for 211 yards and one touchdown.

He continued to set records throughout the season. Against Texas Christian, Mitchell ran for 177 yards and four touchdowns. Penn State set a new school record for total offense. The next week, Mitchell broke the Penn State single-season touchdown record.

Against Maryland, Mitchell ran for 209 yards and five touchdowns. He broke six Penn State records, including career rushing yards. Penn State reached #5 in the national rankings. Mitchell then broke the NCAA single-season touchdown record.

Penn State's only loss in 1971 was to #12 Tennessee. Despite the loss, Penn State went to the 1972 Cotton Bowl. They beat #12 Texas 30-6. Mitchell ran for 146 yards and one touchdown. He was named the game's Offensive Most Valuable Player. Penn State finished the season #5 with a 10-1 record.

Mitchell ended 1971 with 1,567 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns. He also had 154 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He was chosen for the All-America First-Team. He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He led the NCAA in total points scored (174).

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

The Baltimore Colts picked Mitchell in the second round of the 1972 NFL draft. He was the 48th overall pick.

Mitchell became one of the NFL's best all-around running backs in the mid-1970s. He was a threat because he could run well and catch passes. Mitchell and teammate Bert Jones helped the Baltimore Colts win three AFC East Division titles in a row. They beat the strong Miami Dolphins team.

Baltimore Colts (1972-1977)

In Mitchell's first year (1972), he played in 11 games. He ran for 215 yards and one touchdown. He also caught 18 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown.

In 1973, Mitchell became the starting running back. He ran for 963 yards and two touchdowns. He had his first 100-yard rushing game against the New Orleans Saints.

In 1974, Mitchell led the Colts in rushing with 757 yards. Even though he was a running back, he led the entire NFL in receptions (catches) with 72. He set an NFL record for most carries in a game with 40 attempts. He also broke the Colts' single-game reception record with 13 catches.

The 1975 season was a big turning point for Mitchell. He ran for over 1,000 yards for the first time (1,193 yards). This was the first time a Baltimore Colts player had done that. He also scored a career-high 11 rushing touchdowns. Mitchell caught 60 passes for 544 yards and six receiving touchdowns. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. The Colts won the AFC East division.

In 1976, Mitchell ran for over 1,000 yards again (1,200 yards). This was his third straight year leading the Colts in rushing. He also caught 60 passes for 555 yards. Mitchell was named to the 1976 All-Pro Second-Team and his second straight Pro Bowl.

The 1977 season was Mitchell's last with Baltimore. He ran for over 1,000 yards for the third year in a row (1,159 yards). Mitchell also led the NFL in receptions for the second time with 71 catches. He had a career-high 620 receiving yards. The Colts won the AFC East Division again. Mitchell was named to the 1977 All-Pro Second-Team and earned his third Pro Bowl selection.

Trade to San Diego

Mitchell was traded to the San Diego Chargers on August 23, 1978. He was traded for running back Joe Washington and a draft pick. When he left the Colts, Mitchell was the team's all-time leading rusher with 5,487 yards. As of 2023, he is still second in Colts career rushing yards.

San Diego Chargers (1978-1979)

Mitchell became the starting running back for the Dan Fouts-led Chargers in 1978. He led the Chargers in rushing with 820 yards and three touchdowns. He also had his fifth straight season with over 500 receiving yards. Mitchell had his best game against the Miami Dolphins, scoring all of the Chargers' points. He also had two 100-yard rushing games. The Chargers finished the season with a 9-7 record.

After the 1978 season, Mitchell had a knee infection and needed surgery. He missed time early in the 1979 season. When he returned, he shared playing time with another running back. He finished the season with 211 rushing yards and 159 receiving yards. The Chargers won their division but lost in the playoffs.

The Chargers released Mitchell on August 26, 1980.

Los Angeles Rams (1980)

Mitchell signed with the Los Angeles Rams on December 11, 1980. He played in the Rams' final two games of the season. He had 16 rushing yards and 21 receiving yards. The Rams made the playoffs but lost in the first round.

Mitchell became a free agent after the season, which ended his NFL career. When he retired, Mitchell was ranked 11th on the NFL's all-time rushing yards list. He had 18 games where he ran for over 100 yards. He also had three seasons where he ran for over 1,000 yards.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Personal Life and Business

Mitchell earned a degree in secondary education from Penn State University in 1972. After retiring from the NFL, he moved back to Baltimore, Maryland with his wife and three children.

Mitchell and his friend Franco Harris, who was also his teammate at Penn State, started a company called Super Bakery. This company makes healthy foods for schoolchildren. Mitchell and Harris also worked together to save the Parks Sausage Company in Baltimore. This company was the first Black American-owned business in the U.S. to offer shares to the public.

Mitchell is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

See also

• List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders
• Penn State Nittany Lions football statistical leaders
• List of Indianapolis Colts career rushing leaders