Ravens RB Feels Faster After Return From Injury

An already dynamic Baltimore Ravens running back could be even more so post-injury.

Nov 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) rushes during the first half Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The road back from a major injury is always a long and arduous one, as Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell can attest to.

Mitchell, a former undrafted free agent from East Carolina, was enjoying a great rookie season before unfortunately suffering a fully torn ACL in December. After an injury like that, a return to football was secondary to just the bare essentials.

"The process from learning how to walk again, trying to get all of my flection back – it was a long process," Mitchell said Tuesday. "Everybody came up to me and said, 'That went by fast,' but to me, it didn't go by fast, it seemed like it took forever. But, the process was [to] just grind every day. I didn't go home – I probably went home [for] like two weeks. I've just been up here trying to get back to my last year's self, so when I came back, I wasn't really missing nothing. It was a long process."

It took almost a full calendar year, but Mitchell made his long-awaited return to the field in Thursday night's win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He may have played just nine snaps (two on offense, seven on special teams), but just being out there again was a special experience.

"Knowing that it was a [season]-ending injury, so just me being blessed to be able to run and play the game that I love, yes it was emotional," Mitchell said.

Now that he's had a taste of action, Mitchell feels like he's not just as fast as he was pre-injury, but even faster.

"I hit faster than what I hit last year, so just being able to do that is just [me being] blessed for another opportunity," Mitchell said.

It will take time for Mitchell to fully reintegrate into the offense, but once he does, opposing defenses better take note. He should form a three-headed monster in the backfield alongside Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, making an already amazing offense that much better.

"[Henry and Hill] are already warmed up [and] going, so I'm just going to warm up by kick return and whatever touches I get," Mitchell said. "I don't want to step on their toes, but they're doing a great job with the duo right now. But once I get going, [with] us three, it's going to be a dangerous backfield."

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