Bobby Bell

This article is about the American football linebacker and defensive end. For the defensive lineman, seeBob Bell (American football).For his son, seeBobby Bell (linebacker, born 1962).For other people named Bobby Bell, seeBobby Bell (disambiguation).

Bobby Bell

Bell in 2014
No. 78
Position:	Linebacker Defensive end
Personal information
Born:	(1940-06-17)June 17, 1940 Shelby, North Carolina,U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	228 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:	Cleveland (Shelby, North Carolina)
College:	Minnesota(1960–1962)
NFL draft:	1963/ Round: 2 / Pick: 16
AFL draft:	1963/ Round: 7 / Pick: 56
Career history
Kansas City Chiefs(1963–1974)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion(IV) AFL champion(1966) First-teamAll-Pro(1970) 5× First-teamAll-AFL(1965–1969) Second-team All-Pro (1971) Second-team All-AFL (1964) 3×Pro Bowl(1970–1972) 6×AFL All-Star(1964–1969) NFL 1970s All-Decade Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team AFL All-Time Team Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame Kansas City Chiefs No. 78retired National champion(1960) Outland Trophy(1962) UPI Lineman of the Year(1962) Unanimous All-American(1962) First-teamAll-American(1961) 2× First-teamAll-Big Ten(1961,1962) Minnesota Golden Gophers Jersey No. 78retired North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Sacks: 40 Interceptions: 26 Interception yards: 479 Fumblerecoveries: 9 Defensivetouchdowns: 8
Player stats atPFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Bobby Lee Bell Sr.(born June 17, 1940) is an American formerfootballlinebackeranddefensive endwho played for theKansas City Chiefsof theAmerican Football League(AFL) and theNational Football League(NFL). He is a member of thePro Football Hall of Fame,theCollege Football Hall of Fame,and was a member of the Chiefs' team that wonSuper Bowl IVagainst theMinnesota Vikings.

High school career

Bell excelled in several sports at a then-segregatedCleveland High School inShelby, North Carolina.In his first two years of high school, he playedsix-man football,playing under center at the position ofhalfback.During his junior year, his school converted to playing as an 11-man football team, where Bell playedquarterback.He would receive All-State honors in football.

College career

At theUniversity of Minnesota,Bell was switched to the defensive line. He was a two-timeAll-American(1961 and 1962) and the winner of the 1962Outland Trophy,which is given to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman. He also finished third inHeisman Trophyvoting. TheGopherswith Bell were the 1960National Champions,played in the1961 Rose Bowl,and won the1962 Rose Bowl.Bell was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

He joinedAlpha Phi Alphafraternity, via the Mu Chapter, while at the University of Minnesota. At the age of 74, he completed his college degree at Minnesota by finishing the three remaining courses he required. He graduated on May 14, 2015, some 50 years after leaving college to play professional football.

Professional football career

He played for theKansas City Chiefs,first in theAmerican Football Leaguefrom1963through1969,and then in the NFL from1970through1974.Bell was anAFL All-Starfor six consecutive years,1964through1969,and then an NFLPro Bowlerfor three straight years (1970-1972).

He was on two AFL Championship teams and a World Championship team. He was named to theAll-Time All-AFL Teamin 1970. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. The Chiefs retired his uniform number 78. In 1999, he was ranked number 66 onThe Sporting News'list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

One of Bell's finest moments came in the1969 AFL divisional playoffgame against theNew York Jets.In a criticalgoal linestand, his key coverage on Jetsrunning backMatt Snellstopped the drive and forced New York to kick afield goal.The 13–6 victory over the Jets propelledKansas Cityto its firstSuper Bowltriumph. During a regular-season game against Denver (11/27), the Broncos, trailing 24–17 late in the game, attempted an onside kick that was recovered by Bell, who promptly returned that kick for a 53-yard touchdown.

Bell was noted for his one-of-a-kind athleticism at 6' 4 "and 230 pounds and was reported to have run a 4.540-yard dash.Bell was possibly the most physically gifted linebacker in professional football history, for his speed at such a size made him ideal at outside linebacker.He was noted as one of the finest open-field tacklers inprofessional footballhistory.

He was also a greatblitzerfrom the linebacker position. Chiefs records show Bell had 40 careerquarterback sacksand he might have had more if he had played right linebacker, not the left linebacker. In that era, more often than not the right-side linebacker got the call to "dog" or blitz since more often than not thetight endwould be lined up right, on the defense's left. Bell scored 9touchdownsin his career: 6 offinterceptions(tied for most in NFL history for a linebacker withDerrick Brooks),2 more touchdowns offfumblerecoveries, and one off anonside kickoffreturn. CoachHank Stramsaid that, "He could play all 22 positions on the field, and play them well." In addition to all that, he was regarded as one of the greatest long snapper centers for field goals and points-after-touchdowns in NCAA and AFL/NFL history.

NFL career statistics

Legend
	PFWNFL Defensive Player of the Year
	Won theSuper Bowl
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Sck	Interceptions					Fumbles
		GP	GS		Int	Yds	Y/I	Lng	TD	FR	Yds	Y/F	TD
1963	KC	14	11	4.5	1	20	20.0	20	0	0	0	—	0
1964	KC	14	14	7.5	1	4	4.0	4	0	0	0	—	1
1965	KC	14	14	7.0	4	73	18.3	38	1	0	0	—	0
1966	KC	14	14	2.5	2	14	7.0	13	0	0	0	—	1
1967	KC	14	12	3.5	4	82	20.5	32	1	2	0	0.0	0
1968	KC	14	14	2.5	5	95	19.0	50	0	2	0	0.0	0
1969	KC	14	14	5.0	0	0	—	0	0	3	0	0.0	0
1970	KC	14	14	2.0	3	57	19.0	45	1	1	0	0.0	0
1971	KC	14	14	1.5	1	26	26.0	26	1	0	0	—	0
1972	KC	14	14	3.5	3	56	18.7	61	1	1	0	0.0	0
1973	KC	14	14	0.5	1	24	24.0	24	0	0	0	—	0
1974	KC	14	10	0.0	1	28	28.0	28	1	0	0	—	0
Career		168	159	40.0	26	479	18.4	61	6	9	0	0.0	2

Postseason

Year	Team	Games		Sck
		GP	GS
1966	KC	2	2	1.5
1968	KC	1	1	0.0
1969	KC	3	3	1.0
1971	KC	1	1	0.0
Career		7	7	2.5

After football

After his retirement, he openedBobby Bell's Bar-b-queinKansas City, Missouri.

On August 22, 2016, The Tournament of Roses announced Bobby Bell,Ricky Ervins,Tommy Prothro,andArt Spanderwould be inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame as the Class of 2016. The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony then took place on January 1, 2017, outside the Rose Bowl Stadium, one day before the kickoff of the 103rd Rose Bowl game on Monday, January 2, 2017.

See also

• List of American Football League players

External links

• Pro Football Hall of Fame:Member profile
• Bobby Bellat theCollege Football Hall of Fame