| No. 25 – Kansas City Chiefs | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1998-05-02)May 2, 1998 (age 27) Erath, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Erath | ||||||||||||||
| College | Louisiana (2017–2020) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2021: 6th round, 194th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||||
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Elijah I. Mitchell (born May 2, 1998) is an American professionalfootballrunning back for theKansas City Chiefs of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theLouisiana Ragin' Cajuns and was selected by theSan Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the2021 NFL draft.
Mitchell grew up inErath, Louisiana and attended Erath High School, where he playedhigh school football. As a senior, Mitchell only played in eight games due to injury but still rushed for 1,903 yards and 28 touchdowns.[1] In three seasons as Erath's startingrunning back, he rushed for 4,045 yards and 50 touchdowns on 457 carries.[2]
Mitchell played college football for his home state of Louisiana at theUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Mitchell had 42 carries for 257 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman before breaking a bone in his foot and missing the rest of the season.[3][4]
As a sophomore, Mitchell had 146 carries for 985 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with 20 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns. He was named Second-team All-Sun Belt Conference.[5]
As a junior, Mitchell was again named second-team All-Sun Belt after recording 198 carries for 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns to go along with 10 receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.[6]
In his final season with the Cajuns, Mitchell was once again the team’s leading running back and was named first-team All-Sun Belt after recording 141 carries for 878 yards and eight touchdowns to go along with 16 receptions for 153 yards.[7][8]
Mitchell finished his collegiate career with 527 carries for 3,267 yards and 41 touchdowns to go along with 49 receptions for 597 yards and five touchdowns.[9]
| Year | G | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2017 | 5 | 42 | 257 | 6.1 | 4 | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 1 |
| 2018 | 13 | 146 | 985 | 6.7 | 13 | 20 | 349 | 17.5 | 3 |
| 2019 | 14 | 198 | 1,147 | 5.8 | 16 | 10 | 70 | 7.0 | 1 |
| 2020 | 10 | 141 | 878 | 6.2 | 8 | 16 | 153 | 9.6 | 0 |
| Career | 42 | 527 | 3,267 | 6.2 | 41 | 49 | 597 | 12.2 | 5 |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft10+1⁄4 in (1.78 m) | 201 lb (91 kg) | 31 in (0.79 m) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 4.35 s | 1.51 s | 2.44 s | 4.20 s | 6.94 s | 37.5 in (0.95 m) | 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m) | 17 reps | |
| All values fromPro Day[10][11] | ||||||||||||
Mitchell was selected by theSan Francisco 49ers in the sixth round, 194th overall, of the2021 NFL draft.[12] He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021.[13]
Mitchell made his NFL debut in the season-opening 41–33 road victory over theDetroit Lions, finishing with 19 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown.[14] During a Week 7 30–18 loss to theIndianapolis Colts, he had 18 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown.[15] In the next game against theChicago Bears, Mitchell rushed 18 times for 137 yards and a touchdown in the 33–22 road victory.[16] During a Week 12 34–26 victory over theMinnesota Vikings, he recorded 27 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown.[17] During a Week 17 23–7 victory over theHouston Texans, Mitchell had 21 carries for 119 yards to go along with two receptions for 11 yards and a touchdown.[18] He also broke the 49ers' single-season rookie rushing record, rushing for 878 yards in 10 games and surpassingVic Washington's record 811 yards in 14 games from the1971 season.[19]
Mitchell finished his rookie year with 207 carries for 963 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 19 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown in 11 games and 10 starts.[20] During theWild Card Round against theDallas Cowboys, he had 27 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown in the 23–17 road victory.[21] In theDivisional Round against theGreen Bay Packers, Mitchell had 17 carries for 53 yards during the 13–10 road victory.[22] During theNFC Championship Game against theLos Angeles Rams, he recorded three receptions for 50 yards in the 20–17 loss.[23]
On September 13, 2022, Mitchell was placed oninjured reserve after suffering a sprained MCL in Week 1.[24] He was activated on November 12.[25] Mitchell suffered an MCL tear in Week 12 and was placed on injured reserve on December 3.[26] He was activated on January 7, 2023.[27]
In the 2022 season, Mitchell appeared in five games (one start) and had 45 carries for 279 yards and two touchdowns, which both came in the regular-season finale against theArizona Cardinals.[28] He finished the 38–13 victory with five carries for 55 yards and the two aforementioned touchdowns.[29]
During theWild Card Round against theSeattle Seahawks, Mitchell recorded two receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown in the 41–23 victory.[30] In theDivisional Round against the Cowboys, he had 14 carries for 51 yards during the 19–12 victory.[31]
In the 2023 season, Mitchell appeared in 11 games (one start) and recorded 75 carries for 281 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the last two weeks of the regular season.[32]
During theNFC Championship Game against theDetroit Lions, Mitchell had four carries for seven yards and a touchdown in the 34–31 comeback victory to help the 49ers reachSuper Bowl LVIII.[33] In the Super Bowl, he rushed twice for eight yards during the 25–22 overtime loss to theKansas City Chiefs.[34]
Mitchell suffered a hamstring injury and was put on season-ending injured reserve on August 27, 2024.[35][36]
On March 13, 2025, Mitchell signed a one-year contract with theKansas City Chiefs.[37][38]
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2021 | SF | 11 | 10 | 207 | 963 | 4.7 | 39 | 5 | 19 | 137 | 7.2 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | SF | 5 | 1 | 45 | 279 | 5.6 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | SF | 11 | 1 | 75 | 281 | 3.7 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 2.3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | SF | 0 | 0 | Did not play due to injury | |||||||||||
| Career | 27 | 12 | 327 | 1,523 | 4.7 | 39 | 9 | 28 | 158 | 5.6 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2021 | SF | 3 | 2 | 55 | 169 | 3.1 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 57 | 8.1 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | SF | 2 | 0 | 23 | 53 | 2.3 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | SF | 3 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 2.5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 8 | 2 | 84 | 237 | 2.8 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 82 | 9.1 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
The Kansas City Chiefs made an addition to their backfield on Thursday by signing free agent tailback Elijah Mitchell.