Veteran Steelers Assistant John Mitchell To Receive Major Honor

Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coach John Mitchell will receive a major honor this summer.

Mitchell, 69, who played for Eastern Arizona Junior College before transferring to the University of Alabama, will be enshrined into the National Junior College Athletic Association Foundation Hall of Fame as a member of the organization's inaugural class, according to a news release shared on the Steelers' official website Monday (May 10.)

The former defensive end/linebacker will join a class that also includes Bob McAdoo, Larry Brown, George Killian, Lea Plarski, Sheryl Swoops and Dick 'Nick Train' Lane, during a virtual ceremony on June 24.

"Honors are good, but sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time," Mitchell said in the news release. "Thinking back, I was in the right place at the right time. When I went out to Arizona, I didn't even have a scholarship. I thought I was just going out there for a tryout, maybe be out there a few weeks. If the coach deemed you were good enough, they gave you books, maybe tuition, fees. Maybe even a partial scholarship. I was taken aback by that. It was a Mormon school. I didn't even know what Mormons were back then.

"It was time for a 17-year-old to grow up. What helped me there was with how stringent they were, it helped me grow up. It made me see things differently. I was there, I didn't have any money. I couldn't go anywhere. We were out in the middle of nowhere. You had to concentrate on your studies and work on being the best football player you could be and the best person you could be. It taught me about other people. Their religion. The things they believe in. Where they come from. How they were raised. It opened my eyes to a lot of things."

Mitchell was a Junior College All-American in 1969 and 1970, receiving transfer scholarship offers from USC -- where he initially committed -- and Alabama, achieving his childhood dream and playing under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Mitchell joined the Steelers as a defensive line coach during former head coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Bill Cowher's third season with the franchise and was promoted to assistant head coach during current head coach Mike Tomlin's first season, keeping the defensive line coach role as well until 2017.

Photo: Getty Images