Elijah Mitchell has found a new NFL home.
Multiple media outlets reported Monday that the former San Francisco 49ers running back signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the first day of the free agency period in the NFL
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Mitchell was drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft and made an instant impact his rookie season. During the 2021 season, the former Erath High and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun star appeared in 11 games (10 starts) and rushed for 963 yards, scoring five rushing touchdowns and hauling in 19 receptions for 137 yards and another touchdown.
After the franchise acquired Christian McCaffery from the Carolina Panthers and dealing with a rash of injuries (ribs, finger, knee, and shoulder), Mitchell saw his production dip in 2022 and 2023. He has appeared in 16 games in the 2022-23 seasons, rushing for 560 yards and scoring four rushing touchdowns.
Mitchell had a severe hamstring injury that forced him to be sidelined for the entire 2024 season.
For his career, Mitchell has 1,523 rushing yards, averaged 4.7 yards per carry, and nine rushing touchdowns, along with 28 receptions for 158 yards and one touchdown. Mitchell was entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Mitchell appeared in 42 games during his four seasons playing for the Ragin’ Cajuns. He recorded 3,267 rushing yards on 527 attempts, with 41 rushing touchdowns. Mitchell also caught 49 total passes in four seasons for 597 yards and five touchdowns. After earning second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors twice (2018-19), Mitchell earned first-team honors in 2020.
Mitchell was an all-state running back at Erath High and left the program as the Bobcats’ all-time leading rusher with 4,045 yards and 50 touchdowns. He averaged nine yards per carry and scored a touchdown in every nine carries.