During an interview with ESPN radio last Friday, former Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown revealed that during a game against the Green Bay Packers in 1994 he intentionally allowed a Packer defensive tackle to go around him to get a clear shot at then quarterback Scott Mitchell.
As a result of the play Mitchell was knocked out of the game with broken hand allowing backup Dave Krieg to come into the game who almost led the Lions to victory that day.
Via Kevin Manahan of USA Today:
“I was floored by that revelation,” Mitchell told USA TODAY Sports. “I had Lomas in my home. I fed him dinner. I gave him and other offensive linemen gifts. I’m dumbfounded that he would do such a thing. I mean, people get hurt playing this game. People have died playing football, and for him to allow someone to take a shot at a teammate, that’s crazy.”
Brown said he intentionally missed the block, hoping Mitchell would suffer an injury that would force him out of the game, because, Brown said, Mitchell was playing badly. Here’s how Brown, now an NFL analyst, described it on ESPN radio:
“We were playing Green Bay in Milwaukee. We were getting beat, (24-0), at that time, and (Mitchell) just stunk up the place. He’s throwing interceptions, just everything. So I looked at Kevin Glover, our All-Pro center, and I said, ‘Glove, that is it.’ I said, ‘I’m getting him out the game.’ … So, I got the gator arms on the guy at the last minute, he got around me, he hit Scott Mitchell, he did something to his finger … and he came out the game. Dave Krieg came in the game.”
Mitchell further went on to say that what happen then stings even more now considering 1994 was his first season with Lions since signing with the team as a free agent in the offseason. The former Lions quarterback also mentioned that he wished Brown could’ve maned up and approached him about his (Brown’s problems) instead of putting himself (Mitchell) in jeopardy.
The following season in 1995 Mitchell went onto have a fine season throwing for over 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns leading the Lions to the playoffs. From there though Mitchell developed problems on the field and stirred up controversy with the media and teammates alike off the field before eventually losing his starting job to rookie Charlie Batch.
Ref: USA Today