Mitchell puts team way ahead of self
CFL WEEK: Calgary quarterback won’t seek huge bucks because it allows Stamps to land better receivers
REGINA — Bo Levi Mitchell is equally adept at distributing the football and the wealth.
The Calgary Stampeders quarterback — the CFL’s reigning most outstanding player — is a top-drawer talent who could justifiably demand top dollar. But he is driven by team success, not avarice.
“I’ve told my guys from Day 1 that I understand that quarterback’s the highest-paid position,” Mitchell said Tuesday during CFL Week. “I’m going to get paid because of that. But every time I go out to eat with anybody on my team or do anything with my guys, I pay for it.
“Some guys respect it. Some guys have a lot of pride and it’s, ‘Hey, man, why are you paying for me? Is it because you’re getting paid higher?’ I’m like, ‘No, man, you don’t understand. It’s because I believe that I am 100-per-cent equal to you. I don’t think I do anything more for this team than you do. I’m one piece of the puzzle and it’s not fair that I get paid that much more than you, but I do, so I want to help out by taking care of some things.’ ”
There is a parallel to the New England Patriots. Their quarterback, Tom Brady, is not even close to being the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback. He is, however, the most accomplished.
“I’m not going to be the guy who goes and asks for $550,000 or $600,000,” Mitchell said. “I told Dave (Dickenson, head coach) and Huf (general manager John Hufnagel) that I don’t want to be the highest-paid quarterback.
“I don’t want to be the highest-paid player in the league, because that handicaps them in what they can do. If I ask for that kind of money, we probably don’t get Quay (slotback Marquay McDaniel) back. I have so much more of a team-aspect feel to things.”
Mitchell piloted Calgary to the 2014 Grey Cup championship, after which he signed a four-year contract extension. What might happen after the deal expires?
“The one question I always get is, ‘Why don’t you go to the NFL? Why don’t you take the shot?’
“I would love to. I want to. But I don’t want to do it just to do it. I want to do it because a team wants me and they want me to compete for a job and I’m not just going down there to try out because I had a couple of good years in the CFL.”
At 27, Mitchell is capable of stringing together several great years.
“If I can, I want to be the best player to ever play in the CFL,” the personable passer said. “I’ve told Dave that from Day 1 when I got here.
“If I can stay here and win multiple Grey Cups and set records and attack (Anthony) Calvillo on the (all-time passing) yardage and things like that, I want to leave a legacy.
“I’m in a good spot. I love my team. I love my coaches. I don’t see a reason to change it.”