Mike Bell (running back) facts for kids
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | April 23, 1983 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Tolleson (AZ) Union | ||||||||||
| College: | Arizona | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2006 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Michael Steven Bell, born on April 23, 1983, is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Mike played from 2006 to 2010. He started his NFL journey with the Denver Broncos in 2006. He was signed as an undrafted free agent, meaning no team picked him in the main draft. Later, he played for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cleveland Browns. Bell played college football at the University of Arizona. One of his biggest achievements was winning Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints. They beat the Indianapolis Colts in that championship game.
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Mike Bell's Early Life
Mike Bell grew up in Arizona. He went to Desert Horizon before attending Tolleson Union High School. This high school is in a suburb of Phoenix. During his time there, Mike became a fantastic football player.
He was the second player in Arizona history to rush for over 2,000 yards in two seasons in a row. He also achieved the second-highest career total for rushing yards in Arizona, with 4,692 yards. In his senior year, a newspaper called The Arizona Republic named him Player of the Year.
College Football Career
After high school, Mike Bell played college football for the University of Arizona. He played for four years, and for three of those years, he was a starter. During his college career, he rushed for 3,163 yards and scored 17 touchdowns.
In his final year, he had a memorable game against the UCLA Bruins. UCLA was undefeated at the time. Mike rushed for 153 yards on 16 attempts, helping his team win by a surprising score of 52–14. Mike Bell is still ranked third all-time in rushing yards in the history of the University of Arizona's football program.
Mike Bell's Professional NFL Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+1⁄8 in (1.83 m) |
221 lb (100 kg) |
30.00 inches | 9.25 inches | 4.52 s | 4.16 s | 6.91 s | 33.5 in (0.85 m) |
9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) |
23 reps | |||
| These measurements are from the NFL Scouting Combine. | ||||||||||||
Playing for the Denver Broncos
Mike Bell hoped to be picked in the 2006 NFL draft. However, no team chose him, so he became an undrafted free agent. On May 8, 2006, the Denver Broncos signed him to their team.
Mike had a very impressive training camp with the Broncos. Before their first preseason game, he was surprisingly named the starting tailback. Many people thought other players like Tatum Bell or Ron Dayne would get the starting job. However, Tatum Bell ended up starting the first regular season game, with Mike Bell also getting chances to run the ball as a backup.
During Week 8 of the 2006 season, the Broncos played against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts. Tatum Bell got injured with a turf toe. Mike Bell stepped in and had an amazing game. He ran for 135 yards and scored two touchdowns in just one half. He averaged nine yards per carry!
He started the next game, Week 9, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that game, he gained 28 yards on 17 attempts. The coach, Mike Shanahan, decided to make him inactive for Week 10 against the Oakland Raiders. Despite this, Mike Bell led the Broncos that season with eight rushing touchdowns. On July 21, 2008, the Broncos released him from the team.
Time with the Houston Texans
Mike Bell signed with the Houston Texans on July 31, 2008. But he was waived, or released, by the team shortly after, on August 8.
Joining the New Orleans Saints
On November 19, 2008, the New Orleans Saints signed Mike Bell. This happened after their running back Aaron Stecker was placed on injured reserve. Mike played in four games that season. He had 13 carries for 42 yards and scored one touchdown. His most active game was against Detroit on December 21. In that game, he had four carries for 26 yards and scored his first touchdown as a Saint. It was a one-yard leap into the end zone. He also caught a pass for 14 yards in that game.
During the 2009 season, Mike Bell played a much bigger role for the Saints. He was part of a group of three main running backs, along with Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. Mike led the team in carries with 172. He gained 654 rushing yards, averaging 3.8 yards per carry. He also scored 5 touchdowns that season.
On February 7, 2010, the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV. Mike Bell had two carries for four yards in that championship game.
Playing for the Philadelphia Eagles
On March 16, 2010, the Philadelphia Eagles offered Mike Bell a one-year contract worth $1.7 million. The Saints had seven days to match this offer if they wanted to keep him. The Saints decided not to match the offer. So, on March 23, Mike Bell officially became a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Moving to the Cleveland Browns
Mike Bell was traded to the Cleveland Browns on October 13, 2010. In return, the Eagles received running back Jerome Harrison.
Brief Time with the Detroit Lions
On August 9, 2011, Mike Bell signed with the Detroit Lions. However, he was waived by the team on August 29, before the regular season began.
