Yeremiah Bell
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Career Summary
Yeremiah Bell was an NFL safety who played 142 regular-season games and made 107 starts.
Bell played ten NFL seasons with Miami, the New York Jets, and Arizona.
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Early Life
Bell was a native of Winchester, Kentucky.
After high school, he worked in a Kentucky steel mill before deciding to pursue college football.
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High School
Bell attended George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, Kentucky.
He was not heavily recruited out of high school before beginning work and later walking on at Eastern Kentucky.
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College Career
Bell started at safety for Eastern Kentucky and earned Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-America recognition as a junior in 2001.
He started as a freshman, received first-team All-OVC honors as a sophomore, and recorded six interceptions during his award-winning junior season. A summer injury kept him from playing his senior season.
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Path to the NFL
The Miami Dolphins drafted Bell in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft after his Eastern Kentucky career.
His path included walking on at Eastern Kentucky after two years of steel-mill work and eventually earning a scholarship.
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NFL Career
Bell totaled 142 games, 107 starts, 729 tackles, 13 sacks, eight interceptions, and nine forced fumbles in the NFL.
He played for Miami from 2004 through 2011, followed by one season each with the Jets and Cardinals.
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Career Accomplishments
Bell made the Pro Bowl following the 2009 season and led Miami in tackles in both 2008 and 2009.
Eastern Kentucky also noted his 2008 USA Today All-Joe selection and his 2009 EKU All-Century Team recognition.
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Playing Style
Bell was recognized for physicality, field awareness, and leadership as a strong safety.
His production included high tackle totals, pass defenses, interceptions, sacks, and forced fumbles across his NFL career.
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Legacy
Bell was inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Eastern Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
Eastern Kentucky also placed him on its All-Century Team in 2009.
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20305, 00-0022067, 1978-03-03, Yeremiah Bell, Yeremiah, Bell
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