Washington Redskins: Top 30 players in franchise history

As the NFL has grown more complex, versatility has become a quality of greater importance in players. But while versatility makes the players of today great, it made the players of yesterday’s football era special. And Bobby Mitchell had that versatility.

Ask yourself what Mitchell could do, and, after a moment of contemplating which answer to say first, you might be inclined to ask what he couldn’t do, because that is a much easier question to answer. Frankly, there wasn’t a thing Mitchell couldn’t do when he was on the football field.

Traded to the Redskins in a draft day swap that sent the ill-fated Ernie Davis to the Cleveland Browns, Mitchell came to the Redskins as a player ready to compete right away. He’d previously made a name for himself in the NFL as a running back, but the Redskins used him at wide receiver, and they quickly reaped the benefits from that move.

In 1962, Mitchell’s first year with the Redskins, Mitchell broke the 1,000-yard mark by a wide margin, and he did the same in the next year. After earning All-Pro honors, Mitchell’s production would dip to a more modest average. But when he retired in 1968, he left an undeniable mark on the game. Mitchell now has a gold jacket to show for his accomplishments. As a historical example of the success of versatility, Mitchell’s story is one that won’t soon fade into the depths of time.