Brian Mitchell Article about Hester

[adam]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/20...633175379_x.htm

 

Retired returner Mitchell says Hester doing in the right way

 

By Rick Gano, AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO — Brian Mitchell is an expert on the art of returning kicks. He did it for 14 seasons in the NFL, setting numerous career records while piling up thousands of total yards with a versatility that went well beyond special teams.

 

Watching a great returner like Devin Hester may not equal the rush of actually doing it himself, but for Mitchell, there is an appreciation only members of his fraternity can share.

 

The kick return, be it a punt or kickoff, is one of football's most physical and exciting plays every week. Bone-crushing hits or spectacular runs that feature well-timed blocks, great vision and darting open-field maneuvering are the components.

 

Hester, at times, has made it look easy.

 

"I've been following him big-time. He's unbelievable. He's fantastic. He's good, man, darn good," Mitchell said as he described Hester, who this season scored six TDs on punt and kickoff returns, breaking his own record of five set as a rookie in 2006.

 

Hester, the Chicago Bears' second-year star who was voted an All-Pro this week and will make his second straight Pro Bowl appearance, needs just two kick return scores to tie Mitchell's NFL career record of 13.

 

"It's inevitable. Many guys who are going to have records broken are upset or agitated. It makes me proud," Mitchell said.

 

Mitchell, who does radio and TV work in Washington, where he spent 10 of his seasons with the Redskins, said he'd even go to watch Hester play if he was on the verge of tying his record, and congratulate him for doing it.

 

When it will happen, of course, is hard to predict. Likely next season sometime, even though Hester is now running into what Mitchell said he faced all through his career: the ball being kicked away from him.

 

"Even my last two years people were trying to directional kick," said Mitchell, who also played three seasons with the Eagles and one with the Giants. He returned to Washington to sign a one-day contract and retire in 2005.

 

His one bit of advice to Hester is to use some gamesmanship when punters try to angle it away. Study the kickers and counteract their tendencies.

 

"Move a little bit. Once you learn all that, play with their minds," Mitchell said. "You can make them shank."

 

Mitchell sees similarities between Hester and himself, at least from the way they approach kick returns.

 

"I was the same, but he's faster than me. He doesn't do a lot of dancing around. He doesn't lose yardage. He's always going straight ahead."

 

Mitchell returned nine punts and four kickoffs for TDs during his career. He entered the league in 1990 and didn't score on a kickoff return until 1997. Why? He said he was sometimes too physical, even with the last line of defense.

 

"I tried to run over the kicker instead of going around him, or I would have had a lot more TDs," Mitchell said.

 

When he retired in 2005, Mitchell also held NFL records for combined kick return yards (19,013), combined kick returns (1,070), kickoff return yards (14,014), kickoff returns (607), punt return yards (4,999), punt returns (463) and fair catches (231).

 

Dante Hall and Eric Metcalf, with 12 combined kick return TDs, are one behind Mitchell's record. Metcalf is long since retired and Hall had only one TD runback this season with St. Louis.

 

Mitchell got his 13 TDs in 223 games over 1,070 total returns. Hester has 11 in just 32 games and 152 total returns. Hester also raced 108 yards with a missed field goal for a TD - not counted as a return - and took the opening kickoff of last year's Super Bowl for a score.

 

But Mitchell was more than a kick returner during his distinguished career. He also had 388 carries for 1,967 yards with 12 TDs as a runner, and caught 255 passes for 2,336 yards with another four TDs.

 

Hester also branched out this season, joining the Bears' offense as a wide receiver and catching 20 passes for 299 yards, with TD plays of 81 and 55 yards. Hester would love to be a go-to receiver someday, but his explosiveness as a returner is what has made him a star so quickly.

 

"It's a big thing whenever you get a guy to go out and put 10 or 11 returns in two years, that's a great accomplishment," the soft-spoken Hester said right after the Bears' disappointing 7-9 season ended. He was quick to credit his blockers. "They do all the dirty work, and at the end of the day, it seems like I get all the glory for it."

 

Mitchell said the responsibilities of being part of the offense could make it more difficult for a returner's energy level. But he doesn't see that as a problem for Hester because of his approach - again similar to the one he used.

 

"He's going to give everything he has. When I played on kick returns, punt returns or offense I was going to go full speed. I didn't care," he said. "I sense that in Devin."

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

That was pretty cool. I'd like to see Hester break it at home and then see him go over and shake Mitchell's hand...