For the first time in 30 years, John Mitchell isn’t helping the Pittsburgh Steelers get ready for the next NFL season. But the work of the former Alabama All-American and assistant coach still is being recognized, even though he announced his retirement in February.

The Pro Football Writers of America announced on Monday the winners of the Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award for 2023, including Mitchell. The Dr. Z Award is given for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL.

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Mitchell joined the Steelers as defensive-line coach in 1994 and spent the next 24 seasons in that capacity. In 2007, he added the title of assistant head coach and had served in that role exclusively for the past five seasons.

A Mobile native and Williamson High School alumnus, Mitchell became the first African American to play varsity football at Alabama in 1971 after coach Paul “Bear” Bryant convinced Eastern Arizona’s two-time Junior College All-American to join his home state’s Crimson Tide instead of going to Southern Cal.

In his second season, Mitchell was a team captain and earned All-American recognition from the American Football Coaches Association as a defensive end.

The next season, he started his coaching career, spending four years at Alabama.

After Alabama, Mitchell had college jobs with Arkansas, Temple and LSU and also coached linebackers for the Birmingham Stallions in the original USFL.

After working as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 1990, Mitchell moved to the NFL as the defensive-line coach on Bill Belichick’s staff with the Cleveland Browns from 1991 through 1993 before joining the Steelers.

Mitchell is a member the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and National Junior College Athletic Association Foundation Hall of Fame.

The Dr. Z Award is named for Zimmerman, who covered the NFL for 29 years for Sports Illustrated. He also wrote “A Thinking Man’s Guide to Pro Football” in 1970 and “The New Thinking Man’s Guide to Pro Football” in 1984.

The other recipients of the Dr. Z Award this year were New York Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and Bobb McKittrick. McKittrick’s 28 seasons as an NFL offensive-line coach included 21 years with the San Francisco 49ers until his death in 2000.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.