Steelers’ Kendrell Bell Initially Hesitant To Hit Jerome Bettis: "'Cause They Pay Him Too Much"

The Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the early 2000s were a force to be reckoned with. Their defense stifled opponents, and their offenses, while a threat in the air, honored Pittsburgh’s roots with a punishing ground game. 

In 2001, Kendrell Bell was drafted in the second round out of the University of Georgia. Bell did not grow up a football guy; he was more into track and field. However, through his brother, he’d learned about the legacy of Greg Lloyd and Levon Kirkland. He knew he had to give this his all and he felt like a perfect fit.

Recently, Bell sat down to talk with Rob King on the Steelers Time Machine Show about his time in the Steel City. King mentioned that Bell got a lot of attention during his first training camp for stopping the great running back, Jerome Bettis.

“Well, it’s funny 'cause when you’re a young guy, you come in, you just don’t know what’s going on. We lined up, it’s our first and goal line drill. And in my mind I’m thinking, ‘Ok, I can’t hit this guy, 'cause they pay him too much,” shared Bell.

He said it was the first day they were allowed to hit, which had the veterans fired up. Bell said he could hear Steelers linebacker Joey Porter Sr. talking trash on the sideline and being his usually silly self. 

Bell may not have known football, but he knew he had to work harder than anyone else out there to make a good impression. He also told King that something shifted in his brain when he stepped on the field; he didn’t think about who he was matched against. He hit Bettis after all, and hard. 

“I was like man, this guy is thick! The ball snapped, and it was like do or die. And that’s one thing, when I played football, I’m not going to punk out. So that’s the situation, and I got the best of Jerome on that one.”

King asked him about the response from his veteran teammates, and Bell said they went wild on the sideline. He said the veterans were used to this, but he wasn’t, and he basked in the praise for a bit. Bell said he walked a little taller that day. 

That hit set the tone for Bell's remarkable rookie season, which included an incredible nine sacks. Bell said he didn’t realize that nine sacks were unusual for an inside linebacker; he just knew he had to get to the quarterback. Bell was rewarded at the end of the season by being named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. 

Steelers' Kendrell Bell Burnt Out Quickly

Unfortunately for Bell, it didn't last. During the first game of his second season, Bell suffered his first knee injury. He finally returned halfway through the season, only to suffer another during the playoffs. 

He made it through 2003 without another injury, but obviously, he wasn't as explosive. The Steelers released him in 2004 after he suffered a third knee injury. He went on to play a final few seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, but appeared to be just a mere mortal, not the player we'd seen. 

Oddly enough, Bell told King that his shoulder injury nagged him the most, giving him the most trouble. He said that he numbed the frustration and the pain with alcohol, and he believes now that it only exacerbated the way he was injury-prone. He told King that players will joke about sweating that all out in the sauna, but you can't. 

The young death (age 46) of his teammate and friend, Clark Haggans in 2023, shook him to his core and helped shape the advice Bell gives young players today. Haggans' death was revealed to be a result of excessive alcohol use. 

Do you remember when Bell was on the team? What did you think about his potential? Click to comment below.

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