UH-OH, HERE WE GO AGAIN. There's this young quarterback in the National Football League, you see, and he comes from the Utah collegiate ranks, where he set a ton of records. He throws strong, accurate left-handed passes, and he has potential written all over him, although he's used largely as a sideline prop. He plays behind a legend, which means he doesn't play at all, and he's getting restless.
Scott Mitchell, the Miami Dolphins' reserve quarterback out of the University of Utah and Springville, is 24 years old, and if he has his way he won't become another Steve Young, who's 30 and still waiting . . . and waiting and waiting. Young has Joe Montana to play behind, Mitchell has Dan Marino. At least Montana is old and injury prone, which means Young gets to play occasionally. Marino is young and indestructible and holder of the NFL record for consecutive starts by a quarterback, which means Mitchell can't get on the field. At least not in the NFL.Someone came up with the idea of using the World League of American Football - the latest experiment in springtime on the gridiron - as a farm system for the NFL. Miami coach Don Shula suggested that Mitchell try the league to get playing time in an actual game. Mitchell agreed. After spending two years as an extra on the set, he is finally on the field again and taking the league by storm.
Mitchell has led the Orlando Thunder - the team in the electric lime green jerseys - to four victories in five games to tie for the best record in the league. He has completed 99 of 175 passes for 1,133 yards, 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, which makes him the second best passer in the league. During one stretch he threw 111 consecutive passes without an interception. Such play has
earned Mitchell Player of the Week honors, and a spot on the league's mid-season all-NFL all-star team.
Four of the Thunder games have been shown on national television, where Mitchell not only has demonstrated his passing talents but also his bravado. During a timeout last Sunday, a coach was overheard by a TV microphone asking Mitchell what he would do in the event of a blitzing linebacker.
"I put it in his facemask," said Mitchell.
Suddenly, Mitchell, the obscure Miami backup quarterback, is a hot commodity. He was the subject of a halftime feature on ABC, and has been interviewed daily by radio, newspaper and TV reporters.
"The number of requests for interviews and promotions has skyrocketed," says John Giantonio, the Thunder's PR man. "At the beginning of the year we had nothing. Now people are coming from everywhere to talk to him."
"It's great," says Mitchell. "I haven't had publicity since college."
None of this has escaped the notice of his NFL employers, some of whom have attended Thunder games to get a close look at Mitchell.
"I was very pleased that Scott decided to play in the World League," says Shula. "As a result of the season he's having, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of interest in him around the National Football League this fall. The World League has given him the one thing he needed that he couldn't get right now with the Dolphins, and that's game experience."
After passing up his senior season to turn pro in 1990, Mitchell didn't so much as dress for a game as a rookie with the Dolphins. Last season he beat out Scott Secules for the No. 2 job, but that lasted for two games. When the Dolphins' placekicker recovered from an injury and returned to the team, he requested his old holder - Secules. Holding the ball for placekickers is the primary function of Miami's No. 2 quarterback. Mitchell continued to dress for games, but as the third quarterback he was forbidden by NFL rules to play unless both the first- and second-string quarterbacks were hurt.
Not such, uh, luck. Marino is 30 and has started a record 124 straight games dating back to 1983 (not counting the 1987 strike season). Which leaves Mitchell killing time on the sidelines.
"I try to steal signals from the other team," he says of his idle time during games.
Mitchell is growing impatient. When his original contract expired last year, he wanted a new one-year contract (which would leave him free to go elsewhere), but the Dolphins wanted him for two years. They compromised and settled for one year with an option year.
"I doubt seriously I'll live here the rest of my life," says Mitchell. "My real goal is to become a starter in the NFL. I don't care where it is. I just want that opportunity. I've had a chance to see the game. Now it's, OK, I've learned, now I'm ready . . . I don't want to be strung along."
The World League is giving Mitchell a chance to show off for other NFL teams, not to mention $25,000 a season, plus bonuses. Under league rules, each NFL team can assign five players to each World League team. Last winter, Shula told Mitchell, "You're No. 2 as far as we're concerned. We want you to be as prepared as you can be for next season. I'm not going to tell you to play in the World League, but it would give you good game experience."
Mitchell will return to the Dolphins and the NFL with new respect and confidence this fall. "I've got what it takes for the NFL," he says.
But with Marino around, he'll have to take it elsewhere.