Stump Mitchell facts for kids
Mitchell in 2019
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| Position: | Running backs coach |
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| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 15, 1959 Saint Marys, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight: | 188 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Camden County (Kingsland, Georgia) |
| College: | The Citadel |
| NFL Draft: | 1981 / Round: 9 / Pick: 226 |
| Career history | |
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| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Career: | 14–42 (college) |
| Player stats at PFR | |
Lyvonia Albert "Stump" Mitchell (born March 15, 1959) is a well-known American football coach and former player. He was most recently the running backs coach for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL). Stump Mitchell also led college football teams as a head coach. He coached at Morgan State University from 1996 to 1998 and Southern University from 2010 to 2012. Before coaching, Mitchell played as a running back and return specialist for the St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals from 1981 to 1989. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Arizona Rattlers.
Early Life and College Football
Stump Mitchell's football journey began at Camden County High School in Camden County, Georgia. After high school, he played college football for The Citadel. He set impressive school records there. He holds the record for most rushing yards in a single season (1,647) and in his entire college career (4,062).
Mitchell was a starting tailback for three years. He was chosen twice for the All-Southern Conference team. In 1980, his senior year, he was the second-best rusher in NCAA Division I-A. Only Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers rushed for more yards that year. Mitchell was named a Third-Team Associated Press All-American. He also earned the title of Southern Conference Player of the Year and South Carolina Amateur Athlete of the Year.
Besides football, Mitchell was also a talented track and field athlete at The Citadel. In 1981, he achieved a 23-foot 3-inch jump.
Playing Career Highlights
The St. Louis Cardinals picked Stump Mitchell in the ninth round of the 1981 NFL draft. He was a running back, standing 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 188 pounds. Mitchell played for the Cardinals from 1981 to 1989. He finished his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1990. He also made a short return to play for the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League in 1993.
His best year as a professional player was in 1985. That season, he rushed for 1,006 yards and scored seven touchdowns. He also caught passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns. Over his 10 NFL seasons, Mitchell rushed for a total of 4,647 yards and scored 32 touchdowns. He holds the second-highest number of all-purpose yards in Cardinals franchise history, with 11,985 yards. Only Larry Fitzgerald has more.
Coaching Journey
After his playing career, Stump Mitchell became a football coach. He started as a head coach at Casa Grande Union High School in Casa Grande, Arizona from 1993 to 1994. He then became the head coach at Morgan State University from 1996 to 1998.
Mitchell moved to the NFL as a coach for the Seattle Seahawks. He was their running backs coach from 1999 to 2007. In 2008, he joined the Washington Redskins staff as the running backs coach and assistant head coach.
On January 11, 2010, Mitchell accepted the head coaching job at Southern University. In his first season, Southern had a 2–9 record. The next year, in 2011, they improved to a 4–7 record. In 2012, after a tough start to the season, Mitchell was reassigned within the university. This ended his time as Southern's head coach.
Mitchell returned to the NFL in 2013, joining the Arizona Cardinals as their running backs coach. He stayed with the team for four seasons. In February 2017, he became the running backs coach for the New York Jets. In 2019, Mitchell joined the Cleveland Browns as their running backs coach. He kept this role even when the Browns got a new head coach the following season. On January 17, 2024, after a playoff loss, Browns' head coach Kevin Stefanski decided to let Mitchell go.
Personal Life
Stump Mitchell is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. His older brother gave him the nickname "Stump." He got this name because he was never afraid to play with kids who were bigger than him.
