Prior to being hired with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Mitchell worked at WDAM-TV for 27 years, serving as sports director for 20 of those years. While at WDAM, the sports department was cited by the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters for excellence on 40 different occasions including being named the states’ best sportscaster 8 of the last 10 years. While at WDAM, he provided coverage for over 15,000 sporting events.
Mitchell was called to FCA in 2011,14 months after leading the funeral for former NFL MVP Steve McNair on July 11, 2009.
While serving as FCA Multi-Area Director and Football Chaplain for the Southern Miss football team since 2015, the local growth of this nation’s oldest and most reliable athletic ministry has been tremendous.
With just one staff member and a need to raise a budget of $55,000 at the time of Mitchell’s unique calling to FCA in 2011, the Southeast Mississippi Chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes now serves in 2023 with a budget just under $2,000,000 and has a team of 38 full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff serving over 120 middle and high schools, six community colleges and two universities from Meridian to the Gulf Coast.
A licensed and ordained minister, he attended North Forrest and Southern Miss, where he lettered every year in cross country, indoor and outdoor track.
Mitchell was enshrined in the USM M-Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. Earlier this year, as part of “Generations Strong” he was recognized on a commemorative wall by the City of Hattiesburg as one of the 100 Most Inspiring African Americans in the city’s history.
Mitchell and his wife Shelia are the parents of four boys, grandparents and are members of Grace Temple Church of Hattiesburg.