FLORIDA FOOTBALL: Dakota Mitchell Medically Retires

Florida redshirt sophomore safety Dakota Mitchell announced that he has medically retired from football after being diagnosed with a back condition.

Photo courtesy Isabella Marley/floridagators.com.

"I have been fighting through severe back pain since Pop Warner Little League football and nothing has changed," Mitchell shared in a statement. "I always questioned why my back was always hurting. After extensive treatment, they found that I was born with a condition causing the pain."

Mitchell alluded to knowing this day would come eventually, but admitted he did not expect it to be so soon.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder signed with the Florida football program back in 2020 after briefly being committed to LSU. Nonetheless, the Gators landed the Winter Park (Fl.) native and he joined the team shortly after.

During his freshman season, Mitchell saw no playing time which resulted in his reception of a redshirt. The following year, it became clear that something was going on as Mitchell was not seen practicing with the team. The same has held true entering this season and the answer is not obvious.

"With that being said, I am medically retiring from the game and hanging up my cleats," Mitchell wrote.

It was an emotional decision for Mitchell, who opened his statement by saying "I write this with tears in my eyes."

It is unclear what Mitchell's plan is moving forward nor is it clear the extent to which he will stay with the program, if at all.