About Tom Mitchell
Lived 1944 – 2017 (aged 72). Tom Mitchell was an American american football player and basketball player.
Thomas Gordon Mitchell (August 22, 1944 – July 16, 2017) was an American college and professional football player.
A 6'2". tight end from Bucknell University and member of the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame, Mitchell played one season (1966) for the American Football League (AFL)'s Oakland Raiders, and ten seasons (1968–1977) in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts and the San Francisco 49ers. He was nicknamed "the Crocodile" and his pouring of a pitcher of beer on the head of author George Plimpton is recounted in the book Mad Ducks and Bears. He died of cancer at the age of 72 in 2017. He was father-in-law to former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and current Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, and grandfather to Bucknell defensive lineman Joe Schiano.
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Important facts
People in Tom Mitchell's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Tom Mitchell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Tom Mitchell?
American football player (1944-2017)
When was Tom Mitchell born?
Tom Mitchell was born on 22 August 1944 in Newport.
When did Tom Mitchell die?
Tom Mitchell died on 16 July 2017 in Cape Coral.
What was Tom Mitchell's occupation?
Tom Mitchell was an american football player and basketball player.
What nationality was Tom Mitchell?
Tom Mitchell was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Tom Mitchell (American football)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tom Mitchell. https://biography.guide/tom-mitchell-american-football-player/
MLA: "Tom Mitchell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tom-mitchell-american-football-player/.
Chicago: "Tom Mitchell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tom-mitchell-american-football-player/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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