The No nikkaz Redskins
Under pressure to integrate the team by the Washington Post and the federal government of the United States, the Washington Redskins drafted Ernie Davis with the first overall pick of the 1962 NFL Draft. But in mid-December, Redskins owner George Preston Marshall announced that on the day of the draft he had clandestinely traded the rights to Davis to the Cleveland Browns for Bobby Mitchell and first-round draft pick Leroy Jackson. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time of the draft, Davis had leukemia, and died without ever playing a down in professional football. Mitchell was joined by black stars like Charley Taylor, Larry Brown, Brig Owens, and John Nisby from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Redskins ended the 1962 season with their best record in five years: 5–7–2.
Bill McPeak, in his first year as head coach, immediately announced Mitchell would become a flanker. Mitchell led the league with eleven touchdowns, 72 catches, and 1384 yards, and was selected to the Pro Bowl.
In 1963, Mitchell recorded 69 catches for 1436 yards and seven more touchdowns. During this season, he also became the second player in league and franchise history to record a 99-yard pass play. The pass from George Izo was the first 99-yard pass in over 13 years, when the Redskins' Frank Filchock and Andy Farkas set the original record October 15, 1939. During the next four years, Mitchell's reception totals were 60, 60, 58 and 60. In 1967, new head coach Otto Graham chose to move Mitchell back to halfback because of Graham's decision a year earlier to move the team's best running back, Charley Taylor, to wide receiver. Mitchell enjoyed only moderate success running the ball but he did catch 60 passes for 866 yards and six touchdowns.
In 1969, Vince Lombardi became head coach and promised Mitchell that he would return him to flanker. But as training camp progressed, Mitchell realized that he was not in the same shape he once was and chose to retire.
During his first six seasons with the Redskins, Mitchell never caught fewer than 58 passes. When he retired, his 14,078 combined net yards was the second highest total in NFL history. He had also scored 91 touchdowns (18 by rushing, 65 on receptions, 3 on punt returns, and 5 on kickoff returns). He amassed 7,954 yards on receptions and 2,735 yards on rushes.