Keaton Mitchell may not have been well-known by most Ravens fans before his impressive outing against the Seahawks on Nov. 5, but his father — a Ravens playoff legend — knew all along that fans would come to know and love his son.
Anthony Mitchell was a vital piece to the Ravens’ Super Bowl run in 2001. In the divisional round against the Titans, with the game tied at 10, Anthony returned a blocked field goal for a 90-yard score late in the fourth quarter to give Baltimore the lead and help the Ravens advance to the AFC championship game.
Now, more than 20 years later, his son is in a similar position. Making his third appearance for the Ravens this season, Keaton rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. The 5-foot-8, 191-pound back averaged 15.3 yards per carry.
Though this performance may have struck Ravens fans by surprise, Anthony knew his son’s breakout game was coming all along. He even gave a friend advice on whether to start his son in their fantasy league.
“I said, ‘Start him next week, I think that’s going to be his breakout game,'” Anthony recalled saying on Glenn Clark Radio Nov. 6. “… They didn’t start him, which was good for the guys he played against.”
The Ravens ended up defeating the Seahawks, 37-3. Keaton was their leading rusher on the day, at one point breaking out for a 60-yard run.
“It was amazing,” Anthony said. “It’s one of those things where you know where he comes from, you know what he’s been going through, as far as the criticism because of his size and all that. To see him continue to drive through it all, it meant a lot for him to show everybody that was watching, everybody that was at the game, a taste of his talent when you put the ball in his hands.”
Now, Ravens fans will forever have a place in their hearts for Keaton, according to Anthony.
“For him to do that in purple and for a team like Baltimore, it’s just one of those deals where you know that it’s nothing but love,” Anthony said.
As an undrafted free agent in the spring, Keaton looked for teams that would give him an opportunity to shine. He knew he wasn’t guaranteed to get a look from every NFL organization coming out of East Carolina. Keaton rushed for more than 3,000 yards for the Pirates, adding 28 total touchdowns in three years.
His dad was heavily involved in the free-agent process and helped Keaton secure the best opportunity.
“As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t seen a team do it better than the Ravens,” Anthony said, regarding undrafted free agency.
Anthony knew from experience the opportunities that come with playing for Baltimore. He, too, was signed by the Ravens in 1999 after going undrafted. He posted 160 tackles, three interceptions and one sack throughout a six-year NFL career.
But he wasn’t alone in the path he took, making Baltimore a good fit for his son.
“I can name guys that came in and did special teams and became a starter at his position,” the former Raven said. “… If you have the talent and the will and the means of getting the job done, they’re going to give you an opportunity.”
Growing up, Keaton preferred to run up the middle, as opposed to backs who prefer avoiding linebackers and sweeping to the outside. When asked what designed run plays he liked, Keaton would give an different response than other running backs.
“Run up the middle,” his dad recalled. “He can see the linebackers.”
Keaton did a lot of that against the Seahawks. It was no surprise to his dad that Keaton was successful at breaking tackles and earning extra yards despite getting hit.
With running back J.K. Dobbins out for the year with a torn Achilles, the Ravens have looked for sparks all year from their backs. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill have had productive years for the team thus far, but neither has rushed for 100-plus yards in a game.
When Keaton did it, his dad saw something he had never formerly seen from his son. He celebrated.
“I used to get mad at him because he used to score and just hand the ref the ball,” Anthony said. “… He never used to dance. He would score five touchdowns and hand the ball to the ref all five times.”
This time around, Keaton made sure to celebrate his first NFL touchdown.
“I liked it [because] it was his first one and he did something,” Anthony said.
Now, the Mitchell family legacy will continue with the Baltimore Ravens.
“I’m glad he could come up there and contribute to a team that I love so much, man,” Anthony said. “I’m going to continue to love the Ravens because they showed me nothing but love. I hope he has such a great experience that I had with the team I love so much.”
For more from Anthony Mitchell, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox