Resilience paved Argo’s route to hall
Receiver Mitchell, winner of two Grey Cup titles, formed potent combo with QB Flutie
Former Toronto Argonauts receiver Derrell (Mookie) Mitchell is going into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, along with defensive tackle Rodney Harding and three others.
But Mitchell’s ride to fame might not have happened were it not for a key moment in the film room back in 1997 as a rookie receiver.
His quarterback at the time was Doug Flutie, but the combination didn’t click right away. It needed a little encouragement from Argo head coach Don Matthews.
When Mitchell arrived in camp, Flutie was overlooking him on passing routes.
There was another big adjustment to overcome.
One day in camp, offensive co-ordinator John Jenkins told Mitchell that he was going to be moved inside to slotback. He had been playing outside receiver behind Paul Masotti.
“I had to stop eating lunch and start studying the playbook at the inside receiver position,” Mitchell recalled.
At the first pre-season game against Hamilton, Mitchell was getting open but Flutie was not looking his way. “Coach Matthews came and got me,” Mitchell said. “He said, ‘Sit down, I want you to watch this on film.’
“I thought I was in trouble,” Mitchell recalled. “Then he went and brought Flutie into the office, and he had both of us watching the film. And I just kept coming open, and Flutie apologized. He was like, ‘Man, I just didn’t know you.’ And he said it would never happen again.”
But before Flutie’s vow could be tested, Mitchell had a family tragedy that needed his attention. His oldest brother had been shot by a lone gunman in Miami.
Mitchell went to visit his brother in hospital, but made a deal with Matthews that he would be back in time for the final pre-season game in Montreal.
It was a pivotal moment. His brother pulled through and Mitchell caught three touchdown passes, ushering in one of the most dynamic combinations in CFL history.
“It was like magic,” Mitchell said. “It was like sandlot football.”
The Argos won the Grey Cup in 1997 and Flutie captured the league’s most outstanding player award, while Mitchell was named the CFL’s most outstanding rookie.
Mitchell caught 77 passes for 1,457 yards that season, for an average of 18.9 yards per catch. He also caught17 TD passes.
The best was yet to come and it came without Flutie, who left for the Buffalo Bills in 1998.
In 1998, Mitchell caught 160 passes, a league record that stands today, and he racked up 2,000 yards, which ranks third all time behind Allen Pitts (2,036) in 1994 and Terry Greer (2,003) in 1983.
After Flutie left, some of Mitchell’s quarterbacks were Kerwin Bell, Jim- my Kemp, Jay Barker, Damon Allen, Michael Bishop, Reggie Slack and Stanley Jackson.
Mitchell, whose college roommate nicknamed him Mookie after basketball player Mookie Blaylock, would win two Grey Cup championships with Toronto and Edmonton and become a three-time CFL all-star.
Over his11-year career with Toronto and Edmonton, Mitchell had six seasons surpassing 1,000 yards and he is Toronto’s leader in all-time receiving yards with 9,047.
In 2008, he signed with the Eskimos to be their receivers coach and he held that post until 2012. Mitchell currently works for a private agency in Edmonton counselling at-risk youth.
“It’s the call you always want to hear,” said Mitchell about his hall of fame nod.
Mitchell is joined in the Hall of Fame by former Argonaut Harding, the all-time team sacks leader who had a 12-year career from 1985-96, winning a Grey Cup with the 1991 Argonauts.
The two-time CFL all-star ended his career with the Memphis Mad Dogs and the Calgary Stampeders. Others going into the hall are: Former Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive tackle Doug Brown, a seven-time CFL all-star.
Former Calgary Stampeder and Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker James West, a two-time CFL all-star and two-time Grey Cup winner.
Junior football developer Don McDonald, in the builder category.