Scott Mitchell, a former Detroit Lions quarterback, is still working to clear the air about his time in Detroit. In an extensive feature interview with The Athletic, Detroit’s former signal-caller discussed familiar topics such as his frustration with Lomas Brown, challenges he faced as a result of the organization’s decisions, and emphasizing that the team’s failure to win was a collective effort rather than just his fault. When Barry Sanders’ documentary aired, Mitchell took to social media to express his frustrations, claiming there were far more reasons the squad did not make the playoffs.
Among these was a shift away from the prolific passing attack that characterized the 1995 season. Mitchell stated that Sylvester Croom’s offense relied primarily on the run game. Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, was frequently tackled in the backfield, forcing his team to play behind the chains. His explosive runs made him well-known, but Mitchell disliked his manner. “It was challenging to play with him,” Mitchell added. “A lot of the other running backs of the day weren’t going to get you behind the chains very much, and Barry got us there a lot. If you didn’t run Barry the proper way, it was difficult and placed everyone else in a bind.”
Mitchell stated that Tom Moore used the passing attack in a way that could have resulted in greater success had he stayed with the organization.
“When we used (Sanders) the way we did in Tom Moore’s offense, I’d take him over anyone,” he said. “But what made it great was our willingness to throw the football.” Mitchell regrets signing a free agent contract in Detroit after receiving criticism from fans, not having personal ties with teammates, and hearing his former head coach wish the franchise had a different leader at the time. Mitchell said, “If I knew what I know now, I would have stayed in Miami.”
