The longest-tenured coach with the Steelers, John Mitchell, has announced his retirement.
John Mitchell, the assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, announced his retirement and put an end to his 29-year tenure with the team.
Under Bill Cowher, Mitchell joined the Steelers in 1994 and served as their defensive line coach until 2006. Mitchell was elevated to the positions of associate head coach and defensive line coach in 2007 upon the hiring of Mike Tomlin. He was then elevated to assistant head coach in 2018.
Mitchell expressed his gratitude to the Rooney family for giving him the amazing chance to lead and work for the Steelers for almost 30 years. “It was a real privilege. I express my gratitude to Coach Tomlin for providing me with the chance to remain with the team following Coach Cowher’s retirement. I will always cherish my time spent in Pittsburgh and am grateful to all those connected to the organisation.”
Before being hired by Pittsburgh, Mitchell started his NFL career in 1991 as the defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. He had been the defensive line coach of the Birmingham Stallions from 1983 to 1985 before that.
Before turning pro, Mitchell was the first African-American defensive coordinator in the SEC, having worked for LSU and Temple.
From 1973 to 1976, Mitchell served as the renowned Paul “Bear” Bryant’s defensive line coach at Alabama, where he began his coaching career. After that, he worked as Lou Holtz’s defensive line coach at Arkansas from 1977 until 1982.
In his two seasons as a Crimson Tide player, Mitchell started every game at defensive end, making him the first African-American player at the university.
Head coach Mike Tomlin remarked, “I’m not sure that I can provide appropriate appreciation and admiration for Mitch — as both a guy and football coach.” “Mitch has contributed significantly to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ accomplishments for almost thirty years. In this franchise’s storied past, he has coached some of the greatest players, and without a doubt, they would all attest that Mitch’s coaching prowess, mentoring, leadership, and moral qualities contributed to their success.
“When he decided to enrol at the University of Alabama, such qualities were most noticeable. Mitch’s journey altered not just his own life but also the lives of many others. Although it’s hard to fully quantify his influence on the game, I will always be appreciative of the 16 years we had together, and I hope that he and Joyce, his wife, have the finest retirement imaginable.”
“For almost thirty years, Coach Mitch has played a crucial role in the Steelers organisation,” stated Steelers President Art Rooney II. “When you look at his career as a coach and player, Mitch gave young black guys in football access to possibilities that, to be honest, didn’t exist before. Long after his retirement, this franchise, as well as the game and its culture, will be forever changed by him.”
