Le'Veon Bell. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Three-time Pro Bowl RB Le'Veon Bell leaves door open for NFL return

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 7/26/23

It’s been more than a full calendar year since running back Le’Veon Bell last played a down in the NFL.

And while the three-time Pro Bowler has missed two of the last five seasons, he hasn’t completely ruled out a return if the right situation presents itself.

"I don't even want to say that I'm done because I didn't officially retire," Bell recently told CBS Sports. "If I get a call and it's feeling good, I'm gone."

Bell spent five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, rushing for 5,336 yards and 35 touchdowns while adding 312 receptions for 2,660 yards and seven more scores. He set several franchise records including most single-game rushing yards during a regular-season game (236), most single-game rushing yards in a playoff game (170), most single-season scrimmage yards (2,215) and most single-season receiving yards by a running back (854).

Le'veon Bell says years later it was a mistake leaving the Steelers

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/RPlTzfMaC2
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 17, 2023

But his career went off the rails after he held out for the entire 2018 season before becoming a free agent and signing a four-year, $52.5 million deal with the New York Jets. He lasted a little more than one season in New York, rushing for 863 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games.

Bell then spent nine games with the Kansas City Chiefs, five games with the Baltimore Ravens and three games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over his final two seasons before flaming out of the league.

Although he’s been out of football since January 2022, Bell has kept busy in his life away from football. The 31-year-old former All-Pro RB took up boxing, competing in one amateur fight against fellow former All-Pro RB Adrian Peterson in September 2022, a fight he won by fifth-round knockout.

Bell turned pro the following month, losing his debut fight to retired UFC fighter Uriah Hall via unanimous decision in October before rebounding to earn his first win over YouTuber JMX in April of this year via unanimous decision.

Bell is also has an aspiring hip hop career, releasing his debut album on SoundCloud in 2017 and his second album in 2019.

“Whether it's music, boxing, if I ever back on the football field — I believe in myself more than anybody else, and it started when I was 6 years old,” Bell added.

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