Demetress Bell facts for kids

Demetress Carte Bell (born May 3, 1984) is a former American football offensive tackle. He is known for playing in the NFL for several years. What makes his story special is that he never played high school football. He also didn't go to college planning to play football. Demetress is the son of NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone.

Demetress Bell's Early Life

Demetress Bell was born in 1984 in Summerfield, Louisiana. Until 2012, he spelled his first name "Demetrius." As a young teenager, he played more softball than basketball. He didn't play organized football at all.

Later, in high school, he started playing basketball. He was good enough to earn a scholarship to Northwestern State University. There, he played basketball for three seasons. Demetress was one of only four athletes in NCAA Division I (the top level of college sports) in 2007 to play both basketball and football. After the 2006–07 season, he decided to focus only on football.

College Football Journey

Demetress Bell's high school didn't have a football team. This means he had never played organized football before college. In 2005, he joined Northwestern State's football team. He spent that year as a redshirt, meaning he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. This allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of eligibility.

He started as a defensive end. The next year, many players on the team's offensive line got hurt. So, Demetress moved to the left tackle position. He quickly became a strong player. In his senior year of 2007, he focused only on football. He was named a top player in his conference. Demetress graduated from Northwestern State in 2008.

Playing in the NFL

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills picked Demetress Bell in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft. The Bills saw his natural talent. But they knew he was still learning because he had only played organized football for three years. The team decided to keep him on their main roster. This was to prevent other teams from signing him. In 2008, he didn't play in any regular season games.

In 2009, Demetress impressed his coaches during training. The Bills' head coach, Dick Jauron, made him the starting left tackle. He played well, but also had many penalties against him. His season ended early when he hurt his knee in a game.

Philadelphia Eagles

On April 4, 2012, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Demetress Bell. He played in nine games for the Eagles, starting five of them. However, he had some injuries. The Eagles released him from his contract in February 2013.

Dallas Cowboys

On July 21, 2013, the Dallas Cowboys signed Demetress Bell. He was released by the Cowboys during the preseason on August 31, 2013.

His Relationship with Karl Malone

Demetress Bell's mother, Gloria Bell, and Karl Malone are his parents. For many years, Demetress and Karl Malone did not have a close relationship. Demetress's family had questions about his father's role when Demetress was young.

In 1998, when Demetress was 14, his mother said he felt hurt. This was because Karl Malone had not acknowledged him. Demetress said he spoke to Malone only once when he was 18. Malone told him he would have to make his own way. He also said it was too late for them to have a father-son relationship.

However, around 2014, Demetress and Malone began to improve their relationship. By 2018, Demetress shared that they talked and texted almost every day. They even went on a hunting trip together. Malone later spoke about his older children. He said, "I didn't handle it right; I was wrong." He added that "Father Time is the biggest thief." This means you can't get lost time back.

Demetress has also said he is very close to Daryl and Cheryl Ford. They are older twins of Karl Malone.