“Bye Bye Barry” has made for a Seriously Salty Scott.
Former Lions quarterback Scott Mitchell unloaded on Barry Sanders and basically anyone and everyone associated with the city of Detroit for how he felt he was portrayed in the new Amazon documentary about the legendary running back.
“I just watched ‘Bye Bye Barry’ on Amazon Prime,” Mitchell wrote in a lengthy Facebook rant, as first reported by the Detroit News. “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 added. “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.”
The documentary examines a prolific career that lacked playoff success and ended with an abrupt retirement in 1998.
Some — including famous Detroit residents like Daniels and Eminem — lamented that the Lions’ postseason failures in part were because of the lack of a great quarterback to play alongside Sanders.
Barry Sanders at the world premiere of “Bye, Bye Barry” on Nov. 17, 2023.
Getty Images for Prime Video
The film, though, did go beyond questioning the quarterback position and focused on the overall lack of support around Sanders.
Mitchell landed with the Lions before the 1994 season after seven impressive games filling in for an injured Dan Marino on the Dolphins.
Mitchell had an up-and-down five seasons with the Lions, including a prolific 1995 when he threw for 4,338 yards and 32 touchdowns to push the team to a 10-6 record.
Scott Mitchell was not happy with the documentary.
Getty Images
Jeff Daniels was interviewed for “Bye Bye Barry.”
Amazon Prime
Former Lions coach Wayne Fontes suggested in an interview that the team pursued Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana and Warren Moon before signing Mitchell to a a three-year, $11 million contract.
“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!”
The Lions made the playoffs five times in Sanders’ career, losing to Washington in the 1991 NFC Championship Game, but not advancing past the wild-card round in the four following attempts.
Barry Sanders after rushing for 2.000 yards in the 1997 season.
AFP via Getty Images
In six career postseason games, Sanders ran for 386 yards and one touchdown on 91 carries.
“Bottom line, Barry Sanders had everything in Detroit,” wrote the 55-year-old Mitchell, who went on to star in “The Biggest Loser.”
“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.”
Scott Mitchell played five seasons with Barry Sanders.
AFP via Getty Images
Rodney Peete, the primary quarterback for the Lions in the first half of Sanders’ 10-year career, also was interviewed for the documentary.
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