Kendrell Bell

[BigChiefFan]

PRO: Bell quickly established him as one of the top inside linebackers in the NFL …was named as an alternate to the 2004 Pro Bowl…finished second on the team with 108 total tackles (88 solos)…also was credited with five sacks, three passes defensed and one forced fumble…had one interception he returned for 42 yards…is a ferocious hitter with outstanding speed…was selected the 2001 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, the first Steelers to earn the award since Jack Lambert in 1974…was selected as a first alternate to the 2003 Pro Bowl…also was named The Sporting News’ 2001Defensive Rookie of the Year…was selected as the recipient of the 2001 Joe Greene Award, presented to the team’s Rookie of the Year as selected by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America.

2003: 9/7 vs. Baltimore: Recorded his first career interception and returned it 42 yards, which thwarted a potential Baltimore scoring drive in Steelers’ territory…logged 52 defensive plays…finished with four total tackles (two solos)…also was credited with a quarterback hurry/pressure. 9/14 at Kansas City: Registered three solo tackles…played all 57 defensive snaps. 9/21 at Cincinnati: Had one of his best games of the early season…registered his first two sacks of the season, totaling 17 yards…finished with five total tackles (all solos)…logged 37 defensive plays. 9/28 vs. Tennessee: Produce another strong game…finished with a team-high 11 tackles (eight solos), including 2½ tackles for losses of six yards…also was credited with one quarterback hurry/pressure. 10/5 vs. Cleveland: Led the team with 12 total tackles (10 solos)…also had 4½ tackles for losses or no gain…was credited with one quarterback hurry/pressure. 10/12 at Denver: Registered four total tackles (all solos)…logged 48 defensive plays. 10/26 vs. St. Louis: Finished with five solo tackles…played 61 defensive snaps. 11/2 at Seattle: Recorded five total tackles (four solos)…was credited with one sack for seven yards…played 47 defensive snaps. 11/9 vs. Arizona: Registered six total tackles (three solos)…also was credited with one pass defensed…logged 46 defensive plays. 11/17 at San Francisco: Registered eight solo tackles. 11/23 at Cleveland: Made two huge back-to-back hits for no gain to stop a potential Cleveland scoring drive on which the Browns had a first-and-goal from the six…finished with 3½ tackles for losses or no gain, totaling five yards…was credited with 11 total tackles (eight solos)…also caused one fumble…played 51 defensive snaps. 11/30 vs. Cincinnati: Registered six total tackles (five solos)…logged 40 defensive plays. 12/7 vs. Oakland: Finished with eight total tackles (six solos)…logged 37 defensive plays. 12/14 at N.Y. Jets: Registered a team-high 10 total (seven solos)…logged 60 defensive plays. 12/21 vs. San Diego: Recorded four solo tackles…also was credited with one quarterback hurry/pressure…played 48 defensive snaps. 12/28 at Baltimore: Finished with for solo tackles…also was credited with one sack…played 49 defensive snaps.

2002: 9/9 at New England: Aggravated his left ankle sprain and saw limited action…played just 12 defensive snaps…registered two tackles (one solo). 9/15 vs. Oakland: Was deactivated because of his ankle injury. 9/29 vs. Cleveland: Was inactive for the second straight week with his ankle injury. 10/6 at New Orleans: Was inactive for third straight week. 10/13 at Cincinnati: Deactivate for fourth straight week. 10/21 vs. Indianapolis: Returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the season-opener…played 39 defensive snaps…finished with five total tackles (three solos). 10/27 at Baltimore: Finished with eight total tackles (seven solos)…also was credited with three quarterback hits/pressures and a pass defense…logged 53 defensive plays. 11/3 at Cleveland: Logged 17 defensive plays…finished with three total tackles (two solos)…also tipped a pass that was intercepted by Brent Alexander early in the third quarter. 11/10 vs. Atlanta: Finished with four total tackles (three solos)…was credited with one quarterback hit/pressure. 11/17 at Tennessee: Registered seven total tackles (four solos)…also was credited with one quarterback hit/pressure…played 58 defensive snaps. 11/24 vs. Cincinnati: Finished with three solo tackles…played 34 defensive snaps. 12/1 at Jacksonville: Had two sacks and first since the Oct. 27 Baltimore game…finished with five total tackles (three solos)…logged 28 defensive plays. 12/8 vs. Houston: Registered his third sack in two games…tied (with Lee Flowers) for team honors with seven total tackles (six solos)…also was credited with a quarterback hit/pressure and three tackles for no gain…logged 36 defensive plays. 12/15 vs. Carolina: Registered his fourth sack in three games…finished with five total tackles (four solos)…played 31 defensive snaps. 12/23 at Tampa Bay: Registered five solo tackles, including two tackles for losses of three yards…also recovered one fumble on a sack by Casey Hampton. 12/29 vs. Baltimore: Left the game in the midway through the third quarter with an ankle injury…finished with two solo tackles…also was credited with one pass defensed. 1/5 vs. Cleveland: Made a surprise recovery from his ankle injury and produce an incredible performance…finished with nine tackles (eight solos), including 2½ tackles for losses totaling six. 1/11 at Tennessee: Started but was unable to play past his first couple series…finished with two assists in his limited action.

2001: 9/9 at Jacksonville: Started his first game as a pro but saw limited action after suffering a sprained right ankle during the second defensive series…logged 11 plays. 9/30 at Buffalo: Had a big day and seemingly recovered from an ankle injury that forced him to miss most of the first game…logged 34 defensive plays…finished with 12 total tackles (11 solos)…also was credited two quarterback hurries/pressures. 10/7 vs. Cincinnati: Had what Coach Bill Cowher called a "tone-setting" sack, the first of his pro career…finished with eight total tackles…also was credited with a forced fumble and one quarterback hurry/pressure…logged 42 defensive plays. 10/14 at Kansas City: Was very active and applied some big hits, especially on quarterback Trent Green…was credited with two sacks for 14 yards…logged 44 defensive plays…finished with seven total tackles (four solos)…also was credited with three quarterback hurries/pressures. 10/21 at Tampa Bay: Played 36 defensive snaps…finished with five total tackles (three solos)…also was credited with two quarterback hurries/pressures. 10/29 vs. Tennessee: Registered his fourth sack of the season…logged 31 defensive plays…finished with nine tackles (eight solos)…also had his fourth sack of the season and had two quarterback hurries/pressures. 11/4 vs. Baltimore: Played 34 defensive snaps…finished with six total tackles (five solos)…also was credited with two quarterback hurries/pressures. 11/11 at Cleveland: Logged 46 defensive snaps…finished with four total tackles…also was credited with a sack and two quarterback hurries/pressures. 11/18 vs. Jacksonville: Produced another stellar effort…played 33 defensive snaps…registered two more sacks, giving him seven for the season…also forced a fumble on one of his sacks and was credited with a quarterback hurry/pressure. 11/25 at Tennessee: Logged 44 defensive plays…finished with seven total tackles (all solos)…also was credited one quarterback hurry/pressure. 12/2 vs. Minnesota: Played 30 defensive snaps…finished with one tackle. 12/9 vs. N.Y. Jets: Logged 32 defensive plays…finished with five solo tackles. 12/16 at Baltimore: Played 31 defensive snaps…finished with three tackles (two solos), including one for a loss of four yards. 12/23 vs. Detroit: Logged 37 defensive snaps… finished with four total tackles (three solos)…also was credited with a quarterback hurry/pressure. 12/30 at Cincinnati: Played 58 defensive snaps…finished with four tackles (three solos)…also had two quarterback hurries/pressures. 1/6/02 vs. Cleveland: Had another electrifying game…finished with a team-high nine tackles (seven solos)…also had two sacks, the third time this season he has recorded multiple sacks in a game. 1/20 vs. Baltimore: Tied Dewayne Washington for team tackle honors with six total tackles (four solos)…also had one pass defensed. 1/27 vs. New England: Had another big game, finishing with eight solo tackles…also registered a sack and had one pass defensed.

COLLEGE: Bell was the undisputed leader of Georgia's defensive unit…has a great feel for the play while it is developing…has superb quickness and acceleration…is very physical at the point of attack and uses his strength to easily disengage from larger blockers…was a special teams standout with five blocked kicks to his credit… started only 16 games but finished his University of Georgia career with 153 tackles (95 solos), seven quarterback sacks, 10 stops behind the line of scrimmage, five forced fumbles and 14 quarterback pressures…was a 2000 All-American Dream Team choice by The Sports Xchange and an All-Southeastern Conference second-team pick by the league's coaches…started the final 10 games at middle linebacker…finished second on the team with 92 tackles (53 solos)…had two sacks, five stops for losses and a pair of quarterback pressures…caused and recovered two fumbles…intercepted a pass and deflected three others…finished 1999 as the team's fourth leading tackler with 61 tackles (42 solos) despite not starting until the season's sixth game…registered five sacks and 10 stops for losses…was credited with 20 quarterback pressures…forced three fumbles, intercepted three passes and deflected another…set a school single-season record with five blocked kicks…was a Super Prep JUCO 100 selection during his two-year career at Middle Georgia Junior College (1997-98)…recorded 132 tackles with six sacks for a defensive unit that ranked first in the nation in 1998…played fullback in 1997 and gained 689 yards…majored in child and family development.

PERSONAL: Lettered in football at Laney High in Augusta, Ga….earned All-State and Atlanta-Journal Constitution All-South honors…was coached by Otis Smart…also lettered in basketball and track…finished fifth in the state in the shot put as a senior…is the son of Henry and Barbara Booker…Full name: Kendrell Alexander Bell.