Kendrell Bell
Height: 6-1
Weight: 245
Position: Linebacker
College: University of Georgia
Born: July 2, 1980
Kendrell, a second-round selection (39th overall) in the 2001 NFL draft, brought his hard hitting talents to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2005, after spending four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The seventh-year player out of the University of Georgia earned a starting spot his rookie season with the Steelers, and before all was said and done, collected the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and a Pro Bowl selection, plus the Joe Greene Award as the Steelers Rookie of the Year. Kendrell has continued to excel on the field and leads a resurgent Chiefs defense. Bell began serving notice of his football skills for Laney High School in Augusta, Georgia. He earned All-State honors for the Wildcats and was named All-South by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Kendrell also lettered in basketball and track at Laney and finished fifth in the state in the shot put his senior year. From Laney, Bell headed to Middle Georgia Junior College in Cochran, Georgia, where he racked up 132 tackles and 6.0 sacks for a Warriors defense that ranked first in the nation in 1998. His freshman season, he tallied 698 yards rushing as a fullback. After two season, Kendrell headed to the University of Georgia and continued his outstanding play as a linebacker for the Bulldogs. He started 16 games for Georgia and completed his college career with 153 tackles (95 solo), 10.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles and 14 quarterback pressures. As a junior, he set a single-season school record with five blocked kicks. He was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection his senior year. Kendrell majored in Child and Family Development at Georgia. He and his wife Tahira Locke-Bell reside in Hollywood, Florida.
Kendrell's Career Highlights
Pro Career:
Check out video highlights for Kendrell Bell on NFL.com.
2006:
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Has seen action in 32 games (28 starts), registering 125 tackles (95 solo), 2.5 sacks (-11.0 yards), one forced fumble, one pass defensed and 11 QB pressures
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Registered two tackles (one solo) in one postseason game.
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Played in 16 games with 14 starts at right outside linebacker
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Totaled 57 tackles (47 solo) with six for loss, a sack (-8.0 yards) and two QB pressures
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Amassed four tackles vs. Cincinnati (9/10)
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Recorded six tackles, including one behind the line at Denver (9/17)
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Posted two tackles and a sack of QB Matt Leinart at Arizona (10/8)
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Produced seven solo tackles with one for loss and a QB pressure vs. San Diego (10/22)
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Tallied four tackles at St. Louis (11/5)
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Compiled four tackles and one QB pressure vs. Denver (11/23)
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Posted five tackles at San Diego (12/17)
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Compiled five tackles vs. Oakland (12/23).
2005:
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Played in 16 games (14 starts) at right outside linebacker
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Recorded 68 tackles (48 solo) with one for loss, 1.5 sacks (-3.0 yards), nine QB pressures, one pass defensed and a forced fumble
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Produced four tackles in his debut in a Kansas City uniform vs. the N.Y. Jets (9/11)
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Collected a team-high 10 tackles at Denver (9/26)
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Registered seven tackles and two QB pressures vs. Washington (10/16)
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Got half of a sack (-2.0 yards) of Gus Frerotte and forced a Frerotte fumble at Miami (10/21)
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Contributed a sack of Tom Brady vs. New England (11/27)
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Amassed five tackles at Dallas (12/11)
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Produced five tackles and a QB pressure vs. San Diego (12/24)
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Tallied five tackles and a pass defensed vs. Cincinnati (1/1/06)
2004:
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Played in three games as a reserve linebacker and was inactive for 13 contests with a groin injury
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Recorded nine tackles (seven solo)
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Was inactive the first seven games of the season with a groin injury suffered in the preseason
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Appeared in his first game of the season vs. Philadelphia (11/7), recording three tackles
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Produced four tackles at Cleveland (11/14)
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Reaggravated his groin injury in the second quarter at Cincinnati (11/21) and was inactive the final six games of the season with that injury
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Was inactive for both of the club’s postseason contests
2003:
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Started 16 games at right inside linebacker
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Finished second on the team with 108 tackles (88 solo)
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Also added 5.0 sacks (-36.0 yards), three passes defensed, one forced fumble and an interception (61 yards)
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Recorded four tackles, a pass defensed, forced a RB Jamal Lewis fumble and intercepted his first pass off Kyle Boller that he returned 42 yards vs. Baltimore (9/7)
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Posted five tackles and 2.0 sacks (-17.0 yards) of Jon Kitna at Cincinnati (9/21)
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Amassed 11 tackles vs. Tennessee (9/28)
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Tied a career high with 12 tackles (10 solo) and had a 19-yard interception return on a lateral from safety Brent Alexander, who intercepted Tim Couch vs. Cleveland (10/5)
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Had five tackles and a pass defensed vs. St. Louis (10/26)
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Totaled six tackles and a sack of Matt Hasselbeck at Seattle (11/2)
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Produced six tackles and a pass defensed vs. Arizona (11/9)
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Tallied eight tackles at San Francisco (11/17)
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Registered 11 tackles at Cleveland (11/23)
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Posted six stops vs. Cincinnati (11/30)
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Amassed eight tackles vs. Oakland (12/7)
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Recorded 10 tackles at the N.Y. Jets (12/14)
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Had five tackles and tied a career high with 2.0 sacks (-12.0 yards) of Anthony Wright at Baltimore (12/28)
2002:
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Started 12 games at right inside linebacker and was inactive for four games
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Posted 56 tackles (43 solo), 4.0 sacks (-25.0 yards), two passes defensed and one fumble recovery
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Had two tackles before suffering a left ankle injury at New England (9/9)
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Returned to the starting lineup and had five tackles vs. Indianapolis (10/21)
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Recorded eight tackles, three quarterback pressures and a pass defensed at Baltimore (10/27)
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Registered four tackles and a quarterback pressure vs. Atlanta (11/10)
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Tallied seven tackles at Tennessee (11/17)
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Produced five tackles and tied a career high with 2.0 sacks (-9.0 yards) of Mark Brunell at Jacksonville (12/1)
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Totaled seven stops and a sack of David Carr vs. Houston (12/8)
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Amassed five tackles and a sack of Chris Weinke vs. Carolina (12/15)
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Had five tackles and recovered a Rob Johnson fumble at Tampa Bay (12/23)
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Saw duty in two playoff games (one start), recording 11 tackles (eight solo) and a pass defensed
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Totaled nine tackles and one pass defensed in an AFC Wild Card Game vs. Cleveland (1/5/03)
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Had two stops in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Tennessee (1/11/03)
2001:
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Started all 16 games at right inside linebacker, registering 88 tackles (74 solo), 9.0 sacks (-84.0 yards) and two forced fumbles
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Was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Steelers player to win the award since linebacker Jack Lambert in ‘74
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Named NFL Rookie of the Year by Sports Illustrated
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Selected NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News, Football News, Pro Football Weekly and Football Digest
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Also earned a spot on the AFC Pro Bowl squad
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Selected as the recipient of the 2001 Joe Greene Award, presented to the team’s Rookie of the Year
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Started his first NFL game at Jacksonville (9/9), but suffered a sprained right ankle on the game’s second defensive series
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Totaled a career-high 12 tackles (11 solo) and two quarterback pressures at Buffalo (9/30)
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Was named the NFL Rookie of the Month for both October and November, joining defensive end Jevon Kearse (’99) as only the second rookie to win the award in consecutive months since its inception
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Contributed eight tackles, his first career sack of Jon Kitna, a forced fumble and a quarterback pressure vs. Cincinnati (10/7)
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Had seven tackles, a career-high 2.0 sacks (-14.0 yards) of Trent Green and three quarterback pressures at Kansas City (10/14)
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Recorded nine tackles, a sack of Steve McNair and two quarterback pressures vs. Tennessee (10/29)
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Totaled six tackles vs. Baltimore (11/4)
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Produced four tackles, a sack of Tim Couch and two quarterback pressures at Cleveland (11/11)
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Registered six tackles, 2.0 sacks (-19.0 yards) of Jonathan Quinn, including a sack and strip to go with one quarterback pressure vs. Jacksonville (11/18)
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Tallied seven tackles at Tennessee (11/25)
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Produced seven tackles and tied a career high with 2.0 sacks (-24.0 yards) of Tim Couch vs. Cleveland (1/6/02)
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Started two playoff games, amassing 14 tackles (12 solo), a sack (-1.0 yard) and two passes defensed
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Tallied six tackles and a pass defensed in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Baltimore (1/20/02)
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Recorded eight solo tackles, a sack of Drew Bledsoe and one pass defensed in the AFC Championship Game vs. New England (1/27/02)
College Career:
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Started 16 games as a defensive standout at Georgia
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Recorded 153 tackles (95 solo), 10.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles and 14 quarterback pressures
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Started the final 10 games of his senior season at middle linebacker
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Finished second on the team with 92 tackles (53 solo), 5.0 stops for loss, 2.0 sacks, two quarterback pressures, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles
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Added a pass defensed and an interception
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Was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection
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Finished fourth on the club with 61 tackles (42 solo) as a junior
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Also had 5.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles, a pass defensed and three interceptions
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Set a school single-season record with five blocked kicks
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Began his college career at Middle Georgia Junior College in Cochran, Georgia
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Tallied 132 tackles and 6.0 sacks for a defensive unit that ranked first in the nation in ‘98
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Gained 689 rushing yards as a fullback during his freshman campaign
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Majored in Child and Family Development at Georgia