The former Detroit Lions quarterback unleashed a lengthy rant on Facebook with his impressions of the film, which was released on Tuesday, particularly the portrayal of his role in keeping Sanders from winning a Super Bowl with the Lions.
In his response, Mitchell railed against what he feels has been an inflation of Sanders’ greatness, his lack of support from former coach Wayne Fontes, and even commentary, provided by Michigan natives Eminem and Jeff Daniels, that was part of the film.
“I just watched ‘Bye Bye Barry’ on Amazon Prime,” Mitchell wrote. “It was not a very pleasant experience. I was Barry Sanders teammate for five years. I had a front row seat to some of the most amazing plays in NFL history. He will never have an equal as a pure runner in the NFL. I could argue that their (sic) were several running backs that were more complete, but I won’t. Barry was great!
“However, I am so tired of hearing how I was the reason that Barry Sanders never won a Super Bowl,” Mitchell continued. “I’m so tired of hearing how I was not a good QB. My only response is F–K YOU ALL!!!!! That includes Eminem (and) Jeff Daniels.”
In regards to Fontes, Mitchell said it was difficult to hear the coach’s lack of support for him in hindsight after he said in the documentary he wished he had been able to provide Sanders a better quarterback.
“I can’t even began (sic) to tell you what a disappointment it is to (hear) my own coach, Wayne Fontes, who went out in free agency and actively (pursued) me to the point of begging me to come to Detroit, say that he wanted Joe Montana or Warren Moon, and that the only thing that was missing from the team winning the Super Bowl was a quarterback,” Mitchell wrote. “A little support from the coach might have gone a long way. Wayne never had my back!”
Mitchell, who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1990, became a highly sought-after free agent after filling in for Dan Marino for seven games during the 1993 season. Detroit signed him to a lucrative three-year, $11 million contract as a free agent, and despite a sluggish start, he went on to have one of the most productive passing seasons in NFL history to date in 1995, throwing for 4,338 yards and 32 touchdowns, leading the Lions to a 10-6 record.
Mitchell would suffer a rib injury the following year as the Lions stumbled to a 5-11 record, leading to an overhaul of the coaching staff. The retired quarterback bemoaned the Lions’ overall lack of patience, as well as Sanders’ own playoff performances, as being bigger factors in preventing the franchise from winning a Super Bowl.
“Bottom line, Barry Sanders had everything in Detroit,” Mitchell wrote. “Everyone loved him. Everything was built for Barry to succeed. In his 10 year career, he won one playoff game and the only reason he didn’t win more was everyone else was the problem? How many yards did Barry have in the playoffs in ’94, ’95, ’97? I’ll give you a hint not very many. We all are to blame for not winning a (Super Bowl) in Detroit even Barry Sanders.
“I will believe until I die that had we been given more time and patience with the offense, we had and the talent we had we could have made a deep run in the playoffs and competed to win a Super Bowl.”
Mitchell would stay with the Lions through the 1998 season before he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. In four years with Detroit, he posted a 27-30 record as a starter, plus an 0-2 mark in the postseason.
