Former New Orleans Saints star Keith Mitchell dies at age 51

Former New Orleans Saints linebacker Keith Mitchell has died at the age of 51, Texas A&M Athletics confirmed on Thursday.

The university announced Mitchell's death but did not disclose a cause.

Mitchell began his NFL career after signing with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997.

He spent five seasons in New Orleans and earned Pro Bowl honours in 2000 following an impressive campaign.

He later joined the Houston Texans in 2002 before finishing his professional career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003.

Over 94 NFL appearances, Mitchell recorded 408 tackles and 19.5 sacks, establishing himself as one of the league's most reliable defensive players during his career.

Before reaching the NFL, Mitchell enjoyed an outstanding four-year spell at Texas A&M and earned All-Southwest Conference honours in 1995 before being named to the All-Big 12 team in 1996.

The former Aggies star registered 34 career sacks during his college career, including 14.5 in his final season, one of the best single-season defensive performances in the programme's history.

In recognition of his achievements, Mitchell was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.