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
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 talented running back in the National Football League (NFL). Mitchell played for nine seasons, from 1972 to 1980. He played for the Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers, and Los Angeles Rams.

Before the NFL, Mitchell played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He set many rushing and scoring records there. In the NFL, he was known for being great 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 a single season. He did this three times. He also led the NFL in receptions (catches) in 1974 and 1977.

Early Life and High School Sports

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

In football, Mitchell was recognized as one of the best players in South Jersey. He earned All-South Jersey honors as a sophomore. Even with an injury in his junior year, he still received an honorable mention. In his senior year, he was again named to the All-South Jersey Third Team. After high school, Mitchell earned a football scholarship to Pennsylvania State University.

College Football Career

Mitchell played college football at Pennsylvania State University. He joined the Nittany Lions in 1969. He played alongside future Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris. As a freshman, Mitchell led his team in rushing and scoring. He and Harris formed a very strong running team. Mitchell's senior year was one of the best in Penn State history. He set several school and NCAA records.

In 2004, Mitchell was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Playing for Penn State (1969-1971)

As a sophomore in 1969, Mitchell quickly made an impact. He and Franco Harris joined the main team. They helped Penn State have a perfect 11–0 season for the second year in a row. The Nittany Lions finished ranked #2 in the country. They won the 1970 Orange Bowl against #6 Missouri 10–3. Mitchell scored a 28-yard touchdown in that game. He ran for 616 yards and six touchdowns that season.

In 1970, Mitchell and Harris continued to play well. Penn State started the year ranked #7. Mitchell had a great game against Navy, running for 145 yards. He later suffered a leg injury and missed some games. Penn State finished the season with a 7–3 record. Mitchell had 751 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Mitchell's senior season in 1971 was amazing. He set many records. In the first game against Navy, he scored five touchdowns. This broke a Penn State scoring record from 1917. He also ran for 211 yards against Iowa. Mitchell kept breaking records throughout the season. He broke the Penn State single-season touchdown record. He also passed Lenny Moore for career rushing yards. After a big win against Maryland, Penn State reached #5 in the national rankings.

Mitchell continued to set records, including the NCAA single-season touchdown record. Penn State's only loss that year was to #12 Tennessee. Despite the loss, Penn State played in the 1972 Cotton Bowl. They beat #12 Texas 30–6. Mitchell ran for 146 yards and scored a touchdown. He was named the game's Offensive Most Valuable Player. Penn State finished the season with a 10–1 record and ranked #5.

Mitchell ended his 1971 season with 1,567 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns. He also had three receiving touchdowns. He was named to the All-America First-Team. He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He led the NCAA in total points scored.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

The Baltimore Colts drafted Lydell Mitchell in the second round of the 1972 NFL draft. He was the 48th player picked overall. Mitchell became known as one of the NFL's best all-around running backs. He was a threat both running the ball and catching passes. Mitchell and quarterback Bert Jones helped the Colts win three straight AFC East Division titles. They even beat the strong Miami Dolphins team.

Baltimore Colts (1972-1977)

In his first NFL season (1972), Mitchell played in 11 games. He ran for 215 yards and scored one touchdown. He also caught 18 passes for 147 yards and another touchdown.

In 1973, Mitchell became the starting running back for the Colts. He ran for 963 yards. He had his first 100-yard rushing game against the New Orleans Saints. In 1974, Mitchell led the Colts in rushing again with 757 yards. He also led the entire NFL in receptions (catches) with 72. He set an NFL record for most carries in a single game with 40 attempts.

The 1975 season was a big one for Mitchell. He ran for over 1,000 yards for the first time. This was a first for any Baltimore Colts player. He finished with 1,193 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 60 passes for 544 yards and six receiving touchdowns. Mitchell was selected for his first Pro Bowl. The Colts won their division. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs.

In 1976, Mitchell again ran for over 1,000 yards, leading the Colts for the third year in a row. He had a career-high 1,200 rushing yards. He also caught 60 passes for 555 yards. Mitchell was named to the All-Pro Second-Team and his second straight Pro Bowl. The Colts made the playoffs but lost to the Steelers again.

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

Mitchell had a disagreement about his contract in 1978. He was traded to the San Diego Chargers. When he left the Colts, he 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)

Michell with the Chargers in 1979.

Mitchell became the starting running back for the Dan Fouts-led San Diego Chargers in 1978. He led the Chargers in rushing with 820 yards. He also had over 500 receiving yards for the fifth year in a row. Mitchell had a strong performance against the Miami Dolphins, scoring all of the Chargers' points. He also broke 100 rushing yards in two 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 some time in 1979 while recovering. His playing time was limited that year. He finished with 211 rushing yards and 159 receiving yards. The Chargers had a great season, winning their division with a 12–4 record. They lost in the playoffs. The Chargers released Mitchell in August 1980.

Los Angeles Rams (1980)

The Los Angeles Rams signed Mitchell 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. This marked the end of his NFL career. When he retired, he was ranked 11th on the NFL's all-time rushing yards list. He had 18 games where he rushed for over 100 yards. He also had three seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Life After Football

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

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

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