Since returning to Souths' ailing premiership bid from injury late last month, Mitchell has failed to impress, culminating in his acceptance of a one-match ban for elbowing Tyson Frizell in round 25.
The high shot on the Newcastle second-rower rules the superstar fullback out of the must-win clash against archrivals the Sydney Roosters on Friday. Only the winner can progress to the finals.
Aside from his on-field struggles, Mitchell has received scrutiny following the sudden departure of Souths assistant coach Sam Burgess last week.
Burgess, the 2014 premiership hero, was believed to have clashed with head coach Jason Demetriou over perceived preferential treatment of star players Mitchell and Cody Walker.
Amid the off-field and on-field dramas, scathing criticism of Mitchell by Churchill, son of Souths great Clive, was leaked to the media.
Over text message, Churchill labelled the fullback a "cancer" and "a complete myth who has the Aboriginal cause paramount and South Sydney second". He has since apologised.
Passionate on the field and outspoken off it, Mitchell has been targeted with negative comments throughout his career, some of which have been racially motivated.
In 2021, two men were charged for sending Mitchell racially abusive social media messages and in March this year, he was singled out with racial abuse by a spectator on game day.
After being booed by Sydney Roosters fans late last season, Mitchell compared himself to Indigenous AFL great Adam Goodes, who retired in the aftermath of repeated jeering from supporters.
Cook conceded in Mitchell's case, a similarly early retirement was possible.
"When you're a superstar player and you're so big to the game, this stuff continues to happen," the hooker said.
"You don't want to force a player like that into early retirement because he's just sick of it.
"You never know when enough is enough for some players.
"He'd have to be the most talked about player in the game and we've got to protect him."
Rod Churchill presented the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match on grand final day last year but, in apologising for his comments, has offered to stand down from doing so in 2023.
The NRL will review Churchill's offer ahead of the grand final.
"Rod's issued his apology, the commission will have to consider that in due course," said NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo.
"That's not something that any decisions will be made on in the interim."
Captain Cameron Murray said the Rabbitohs would rally around Mitchell amid the furore.
"He's a big part of what we do here and he's a big part of the NRL," he said.
"It's a great club here, and he's got a good support base around him.
"Hopefully, he'll be able to look past it and just focus on what we all love doing which is playing footy."
