Report: Malcolm Mitchell Files Grievance Against Patriots

The New England Patriots released Malcolm Mitchell earlier this summer, and his goodbye was more than touching.

“New England, thank you! My heart hurts, but I smile when thinking about all the love, support and patience you have given me. To the community this is not goodbye, it’s I’ll see you later. Go Pats!” Malcolm Mitchell wrote in the caption to his Instagram post in August.

Well, it seems like the goodbye wasn’t touching at all, and Malcolm now filed an injury grievance against his favorite team. Yes, the NFL Players Association records confirm that Malcolm has filed an injury grievance against the Patriots, and he’s now seeking his entire 2018 salary of $630,000.

The Patriots released Mitchell on August 6. There was no injury designation, and Mitchell couldn’t recoup any dollars from the deal. He cleared waivers and became a free agent. The team is now carrying a salary cap charge of $252,000 for the grievance, and that’s 40 percent of Mitchell’s base salary. The receiver will be examined by a neutral physician appointed by the league and NFLPA, and eventually make a ruling on the matter.

The receiver missed the season after suffering a knee injury. He had a procedure done in the days before the training camp in order to locate the specific root of the discomfort he was feeling. Mitchell missed some time in camp and was limited on the field.

The receiver has an extensive list of injuries. He suffered a torn ACL during his time with the Bulldogs in 2013, and also had a knee injury in 2014, which lead to an arthroscopic surgery.

The Patriots drafted him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He had a nice game during his rookie year, as he caught 32 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns.