You probably remember the headlines from 2006. They were everywhere. It sounded like something straight out of a movie script, or maybe a dark spin on the Tonya Harding saga. A backup punter at the University of Northern Colorado stabs the starter in his kicking leg just to get the top spot on the roster. It was a story that gripped the sports world because of how desperate and, frankly, bizarre it felt. But if you are looking for mitch cozad where is he now, the answer is going to surprise you. He isn't in a cell, and he isn't hiding from his past.
Honestly, he’s in a courtroom. Only this time, he’s the one at the podium with the law degree.
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The Pivot from Defendant to Defender
It’s been nearly two decades since the incident in Evans, Colorado. After serving roughly three years of a seven-year sentence for second-degree assault, Mitch Cozad didn't just fade away. He did something most people wouldn't have bet on. He went to law school.
Today, Mitchell Cozad is a practicing attorney in Colorado. Specifically, he has worked as a Deputy State Public Defender. Think about that for a second. The man who was once the face of a national scandal is now the one defending people who can’t afford an attorney. It’s a complete 180 that most folks simply don't know about. He spent years in the very system he now navigates as a professional, which gives him a perspective most lawyers will never have.
Why the Mitch Cozad story still matters
Most people get stuck on the "punter stabbing" part of the story. It’s a vivid image. On September 11, 2006, Rafael Mendoza was ambushed in a dimly lit parking lot. The attacker had tape over the license plate of his getaway car. Mendoza ended up with a five-inch deep gash in his thigh. It was brutal.
But the real story—the one that actually matters in 2026—is what happens after "the end."
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Cozad has been vocal about the "stigma" of a conviction. In recent interviews and articles, he’s talked about how society views former inmates as "lost causes." He’s basically become a poster child for restorative justice. Instead of running from the "felon" label, he’s used it to advocate for reform. He argues that public perception is often more punishing than the actual legal sentence.
- He earned a J.D. from the University of Wyoming.
- He holds an M.B.A. from Eastern New Mexico University.
- He has a Master’s in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Denver.
Basically, he didn't just "get out" and find a job; he became hyper-educated to prove a point.
Mitch Cozad: Where Is He Now?
If you're looking for him today, you’ll find him in the Colorado legal circuit. He doesn't just do public defense work; he’s also been involved with groups like Restorative Justice Colorado and Pueblo Community Corrections Services. He’s even done speaking engagements about re-entry into society.
It’s a weird feeling for some, seeing a man convicted of a violent assault now arguing for the rights of others. But for Cozad, it’s clearly about redemption. He’s gone on record saying that "hitting rock bottom" was what it took for him to finally see the impact of his actions on his family and the community.
The legal details you forgot
During the trial, Cozad was actually acquitted of the most serious charge: attempted first-degree murder. The jury didn't see enough evidence to say he intended to kill Mendoza. They did, however, find him guilty of second-degree assault.
He was 21 back then. Now in his late 30s, he looks like a different person. Gone is the stoic athlete in handcuffs. In his place is a guy in a suit who understands the nuances of the Colorado Court of Appeals.
What can we learn from this?
Look, what happened to Rafael Mendoza was terrible. There’s no sugarcoating a knife attack over a football depth chart. But the "where is he now" aspect of this story forces us to look at how we handle people after they’ve "paid their debt."
If you want to follow the current path of people like Mitch Cozad, the best next step is to look into the Colorado State Public Defender's Office or local restorative justice initiatives. His story is a rare example of someone successfully crossing the line from the defense table to the attorney's bench. It’s a reminder that the headlines we read twenty years ago are rarely the final word on a person’s life.
To truly understand the current state of the legal system, one should look at the statistics on recidivism for violent offenders who transition into professional roles. It challenges the "once a criminal, always a criminal" narrative that dominated the early 2000s news cycle.