View source for Ricky Bell (running back)

{{Short description|American football player (1955–1984)}}
{{For|other people with of the same name|Ricky Bell (disambiguation){{!}}Ricky Bell}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Ricky Bell
| image       = 1986 Jeno's Pizza - 19 - Ricky Bell (cropped).jpg
| caption     = Bell with the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] in 1979
| number      = 42
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1955|4|8}}
| birth_place = [[Houston]], [[Texas]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|1984|11|28|1955|4|8}}
| death_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| weight_lb   = 220
| height_in   = 2
| high_school = [[John C. Fremont High School|Fremont]] {{nowrap|(Los Angeles)}}
| college     = [[USC Trojans football|USC]] (1973–1976)
| draftyear   = 1977
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 1
| teams       =
* [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] ([[1977 NFL season|1977]]–[[1981 NFL season|1981]])
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ([[1982 NFL season|1982]])
| highlights  =
* [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers#Tampa Stadium Krewe of Honor|Tampa Stadium Krewe of Honor]] (1991)
* [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1974 USC Trojans football team|1974]])
* 2× [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1975 College Football All-America Team|1975]], [[1976 College Football All-America Team|1976]])
* [[Pac-12 Conference football individual awards#Player of the Year|Pac-8 Player of the Year]] (1976)
* [[Pop Warner Trophy]] (1976)
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-Pac-8]] ([[1975 All-Pacific-8 Conference football team|1975]], [[1976 All-Pacific-8 Conference football team|1976]])
| statlabel1  = [[Carry (gridiron football)|Rushing attempts]]
| statvalue1  = 822
| statlabel2  = [[Rush (gridiron football)|Rushing yards]]
| statvalue2  = 3,063
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Rushing TDs]]
| statvalue3  = 16
| pfr         = BellRi01
| CollegeHOF  = 2121
}}

'''Ricky Lynn Bell''' (April 8, 1955 – November 28, 1984) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[running back]] for the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] and [[San Diego Chargers]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). Bell played [[college football]] for the [[USC Trojans football|USC Trojans]], gaining 1,875 yards rushing in his junior season.<ref name="rbsatt">{{Cite news |date=November 29, 1984 |title=Ricky Bell succumbs at age 29 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S91VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5615%2C7967793 |work=Eugene Register-Guard|via=Google News |location=(Oregon) |page=8D |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="rlife">{{Cite news |last=Lasswell |first=Doug |date=November 29, 1984 |title=Rare illnesses take life of Ricky Bell |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w4kkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L2kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4865%2C2782957 |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|via=Google News |location=(Florida) |page=1C}}</ref><ref name="lkldobit">{{Cite news |last=Greene |first=Jerry |date=November 29, 1984 |title=Former Buc Ricky Bell dies |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pZIsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kvsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6883%2C6608862 |work=Lakeland Ledger|via=Google News |location=(Florida) |page=1D |agency=(Orlando Sentinel)}}</ref> The [[List of first overall National Football League Draft picks|first overall pick]] in the [[1977 NFL draft]], Bell was inducted posthumously into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2004.

==Early life==
Born in [[Houston]], Bell moved to [[Los Angeles]] at age eleven and starred in football at its [[John C. Fremont High School]].<ref name=rbsatt/>

Bell was the brother of [[Archie Bell (singer)|Archie Bell]], lead singer of the 1960s R & B group [[Archie Bell & the Drells]] and Jerry Bell, lead singer of the 1970s and 80s funk bands [[New Birth (band)|New Birth]] and the [[Dazz Band]]. He was also the brother of Neekeita and Lamesia Bell; there were seven brothers in the family.

==College career==
Originally a linebacker,<ref name=latldorb>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-03-04-sp-24275-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |last=Dufresne |first=Chris |title=The last days of Ricky Bell |date=March 4, 1985 |access-date=January 13, 2017}}</ref> Bell first attracted notice during his sophomore season at USC in [[1974 USC Trojans football team|1974]] as a great blocker and between-the-tackles runner, sharing the position of [[fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]] with David Farmer for the {{nowrap|10–1–1}} national championship team (UPI) that defeated third-ranked [[1974 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State]] 18–17 in the [[1975 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]] on New Year's Day.

In [[1975 USC Trojans football team|1975]], the Trojans won their first seven games. Without a passing game to balance the offense, they struggled to an 8–4 record, but was capped with a victory over [[1975 Texas A&M Aggies football team|Texas A&M]] in the [[1975 Liberty Bowl|Liberty Bowl]]. During this season, Bell led the nation in rushing, gaining 1,875 yards, as he finished third in the voting for the [[Heisman Trophy]] and was a consensus [[1975 College Football All-America Team|All-American]].

In his senior season of [[1976 USC Trojans football team|1976]], Bell led the Trojans team to an 11–1 record, crowned by a 14–6 victory over the [[1976 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan Wolverines]] in the [[1977 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]]. Despite suffering nagging injuries that limited his playing time, Bell set the USC single-game rushing record of 347 yards against [[1976 Washington State Cougars football team|Washington State]] at the new [[Kingdome]];<ref name="brftfsy">{{Cite news |date=October 10, 1976 |title=Bell runs for 346 yards as USC clips Cougars |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MOVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4OADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5045%2C2225785 |work=Eugene Register-Guard|via=Google News |location=(Oregon) |page=6C |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="emarevar">{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Bruce |date=October 11, 1976 |title=Emotions are varied about WSU thriller |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9lVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4fgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5046%2C2295875 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |page=19|via=Google News}}</ref> he was the [[1976 NCAA Division I football season#Heisman Trophy|runner-up for the Heisman]], behind [[Tony Dorsett]] of [[1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pittsburgh]], the national champions.

Bell was voted the player of the year in the [[Pac-12 Conference|Pacific-8 Conference]] in [[1976 NCAA Division I football season|1976]]. He was also awarded the 1976 [[W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy]] as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast and was again a consensus [[1976 College Football All-America Team|All-American]].

==NFL career==
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 19 - Ricky Bell.jpg|thumb|right|Bell leading Tampa Bay to their first franchise playoff win in 1979]]
Bell was the [[List of first overall NFL draft picks|first overall pick]] in the [[1977 NFL draft]] by the [[1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]. Bell signed a five-year contract for a reported $1.2 million, <!-- $1,200,000 in 1977 inflation rate is $4,728,277.23 in 2016.<ref>http://www.in2013dollars.com/1977-dollars-in-2016?amount=1200000 {{Bare URL inline|date=May 2022}}</ref>--> by far the richest contract ever signed by an NFL rookie.<ref>Joe Marshall, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131203040622/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092414/index.htm "This Agent's No Secret,"] ''Sports Illustrated,'' May 16, 1977.</ref><ref>Sue Ellen Jares, [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20068186,00.html "The Key to Pro Football Success: Good Legs, Strong Body and a Contract Negotiated by Mike Trope,"] ''People Magazine,'' June 27, 1977.</ref><ref>Patrick Zier, [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19770504&id=THVhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-voDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7374,1301304 "Ricky Bell: "It Can't Get Worse","] ''Lakeland Ledger,'' May 4, 1977.</ref><ref>Greg Hansen, [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19770503&id=W_8LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S1gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2946,378566 "Bucs Get Ricky Bell ... Dallas Gets Tony Dorsett","] ''The Evening Independent,'' May 3, 1977.</ref> This draft choice  was somewhat controversial because [[Tony Dorsett]] was being projected as an arguably better back than Bell. Bell's selection was not a surprise, however, because Tampa Bay was coached by [[John McKay (American football)|John McKay]], Bell's former head coach at USC through 1975. After a couple mediocre seasons, in [[1979 NFL season|1979]], Bell enjoyed his finest season, rushing for 1,263 yards and leading the Buccaneers to the championship of the [[NFC Central]] Division. He led the Buccaneers to their first playoff win in franchise history that season by rushing for 142 yards on 38 carries and scoring two [[touchdown]]s against the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]. The team fell one game short of a trip to [[Super Bowl XIV]], ending their season by losing to the [[Los Angeles Rams]] for the NFC championship.

In March 1982, Tampa Bay traded him to the [[1982 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]], but they put him on injured reserve before the season ended. With weight loss, open sores to go along with swollen hands and feet, Bell was sent to an arthritis specialist. In January 1983, he was diagnosed with [[cardiomyopathy]]. He attempted to find alternatives to accepting the disease such as acupuncture, but he retired in August of [[1983 San Diego Chargers season|1983]]. To the general public, he put on a hopeful face, not letting people besides his immediate family know about the severity of the disease in terms of pain. He had been 225 pounds in his playing days but was around 180 at the time of his death.<ref name=lkldobit/>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1977 NFL season|1977]] !! [[1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TAM]]
| 11 || 10 || 148 || 436 || 2.9 || 20 || 1 || 11 || 88 || 8.0 || 23 || 0
|-
! [[1978 NFL season|1978]] !! [[1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TAM]]
| 12 || 9 || 185 || 679 || 3.7 || '''56''' || 6 || 15 || 122 || 8.1 || 22 || 0
|-
! [[1979 NFL season|1979]] !! [[1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TAM]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''283''' || '''1,263''' || '''4.5''' || 49 || '''7''' || 25 || 248 || 9.9 || '''26''' || '''2'''
|-
! [[1980 NFL season|1980]] !! [[1980 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TAM]]
| 14 || 12 || 174 || 599 || 3.4 || 40 || 2 || '''38''' || '''292''' || 7.7 || 22 || 1
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] !! [[1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TAM]]
| 7 || 3 || 30 || 80 || 2.7 || 8 || 0 || 8 || 92 || '''11.5''' || 22 || 0
|-
! [[1982 NFL season|1982]] !! [[1982 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| 4 || 0 || 2 || 6 || 3.0 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 64 !! 50 !! 822 !! 3,063 !! 3.7 !! 56 !! 16 !! 97 !! 842 !! 8.7 !! 26 !! 3
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1979 NFL season|1979]] !! [[1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|TAM]]
| '''2''' || '''2''' || '''58''' || '''201''' || '''3.5''' || '''26''' || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''12''' || '''6.0''' || '''11''' || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 2 !! 2 !! 58 !! 201 !! 3.5 !! 26 !! 2 !! 2 !! 12 !! 6.0 !! 11 !! 0
|}

==Death==
Bell died at age 29 of [[heart failure]] caused by [[dermatomyositis]].<ref name=rbsatt/><ref name=rlife/><ref name=lkldobit/><ref name=latldorb/> [[Mario Van Peebles]] portrayed Bell in the 1991 [[made-for-television movie]] ''[[A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story]]''. Bell's remains were interred in [[Inglewood Park Cemetery]] in [[Inglewood, California]].

He was survived by his wife, Natalia; his 10-year-old son, Ricky Jr., a 3-year-old daughter, Noell, his mother, Ruth, and brothers Archie, Lee, and Jerry Bell.

==Honors==
*Bell was elected to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2004.

==See also==
* [[List of college football yearly rushing leaders]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{cfbhof|id=2121|name=Ricky Bell}}
* [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/ricky-bell-1.html Sports Reference] - college football - Ricky Bell
*{{Footballstats |nfl=2509366 |cfl= |afl= |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=BellRi01 |dbf=BELLRIC01 |rotoworld=}}
* {{Find a Grave|3700}}

{{Pac-12 Player of the Year}}
{{Pop Warner Trophy}}
{{1974 USC Trojans football navbox}}
{{1975 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1976 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{NFL NumberOne Draft Picks}}
{{1977 NFL Draft}}
{{BuccaneersFirstPick}}
{{Buccaneers1977DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Ricky}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:1984 deaths]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:First overall NFL draft picks]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Houston]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players]]
[[Category:USC Trojans football players]]
[[Category:John C. Fremont High School alumni]]
[[Category:Deaths from autoimmune disease]]