Mitch Lyons was a football and basketball standout at Forest Hills Northern High, opted for football in college at Michigan State and played seven years in the NFL.
Lyons, a tight end, was All-State in football his senior year at FHN and was recruited by several schools before choosing Michigan State.
He played significantly as a junior and senior in 1991 and ’92 and finished his career with 52 receptions for 546 yards.
The Atlanta Falcons made him a sixth-round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, the 151st player taken overall, and he played his first seasons with the Falcons before spending the last three years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Knee injuries contributed to his retirement. He had 39 career receptions for 345 yards and one touchdown.
After football Lyons became an insurance professional and was elected to the Michigan State Board of Trustees in 2011.