Keep the Honors Coming for Alabama Legend John Mitchell: All Things CW

Mitchell named one of three winners for the annual Dr. Z Award, for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL.

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

You may remember last year when the University of Alabama honored the Crimson Tide's first two Black football players, John Mitchell and Wilbur Jackson, by putting a plaque with their names on it in front of Bryant-Denny Stadium.

It was a fitting, and overdue move as both former players helped open doors for so many others, including Sylvester Croom, who went on to be the SEC's first Black head football coach. But Mitchell was a coaching pioneer as well.  

After his playing career ended Mitchell returned to Alabama to attend law school, and when he asked Paul W. Bryant for help in finding a job to make ends meet while working on the degree was offered a full-time coaching position.

Mitchell never did get that law degree, instead serving as the Crimson Tide's defensive ends coach from 1973-76, and went on to be the SEC's first Black defensive coordinator. 

Mitchell's stops included Arkansas, the USFL's Birmingham Stallions, Temple, LSU and the Cleveland Browns, but as a coach he's best known for his 29 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which just came to a close when he retired as the assistant head coach in February.  

At the time, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was quoted as saying: "I'm not sure that I can offer sufficient praise and admiration for Mitch — as both a man and football coach. Mitch has been a central figure in the success of the Pittsburgh Steelers for nearly three decades. He has coached some of the best players in this franchise's illustrious history, and each one of them, to a man, would tell you their success was a direct result of not only Mitch's coaching acumen, but also his mentorship, leadership and character."

This week it was announced that Mitchell is getting another honor as one of three coaches to receive the 2023 Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).

The Dr. Z Award is given for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL. It's named for Zimmerman, who covered the NFL for 29 years as Sports Illustrated's lead pro football writer. The other winners are New York Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, and the late Bobb McKittrick. They are the 21st, 22nd and 23rd recipients of the award which was first handed out in 2014. 

Is it enough? No, especially when during all those years Mitchell never got a chance to be a head coach. But like with being in the induction Class of 2009 for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, it's at least another step in the right direction.  

SEE ALSO: After 50-Plus Years in Football, John Mitchell's Legacy Immeasurable: All Things CW