Knee injuries finally forced former New England Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell to hang up his cleats Friday.
Mitchell announced his retirement at his alma mater’s TEDxUGA event. Mitchell was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia.
Mitchell’s knee injuries stemmed back to his college days. The Patriots managed Mitchell, allowing him to take off certain practices, from the time he was drafted. It wasn’t enough, however. In all, Mitchell has undergone 10 surgeries on his knees.
Mitchell’s last game came during the 2017 preseason. His last game that counted was the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI win over the Atlanta Falcons. He had six catches for 70 yards in that contest. He was released by the Patriots on Aug. 6, 2018.
Mitchell showed promise in his rookie season with the Patriots, registering 32 catches for 401 yards with four touchdowns in 14 games.
The receiver wrote a children’s book, “The Magician’s Hat,” while in college. He leads the Read With Malcolm literacy initiative and Share The Magic Foundation. His next event is March 29 at Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel at 7 p.m. ET
