One of the greatest defensive players of his era, Bobby Bell was a wrecking force that was a part of a dominant defensive unit in Kansas City and one of the most feared linebackers during the days of the old AFL. At 6-foot-4-inches, 228 pounds, Bell’s chiseled frame, and insane athletic ability set the standard for what coaches looked for in future NFL linebackers. Head coach Hank Stram once referred to Bell as the only player he ever had that could play any position and still be successful.
For 12 seasons, Bell’s speed and exceptional athletic ability made him a tough hitter against the run and a ball hawk against the pass. He was even the Chiefs’ long snapper on special teams.
Bell was born on June 17, 1940, in Shelby, North Carolina, where he grew up and attended Cleveland High School. During his teen years, Bell played for Cleveland’s football team as a running back, earning All-State honors and a scholarship to the University of Minnesota.
Bell began as the quarterback in college but eventually switched to the defensive line. In 1961 and 1962, Bell earned All-American honors and received the ’62 Outland Trophy – an award given to the nation’s most outstanding lineman.
After the Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City and rebranded as the Chiefs, the team drafted Bell 56th overall in the 1963 AFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings also drafted Bell in the first round of the ’63 NFL Draft. Although he was expected to sign with the established NFL, he surprised everyone when he chose to go to Kansas City.
Under head coach Hank Stram, Bell began his pro career as a defensive end and excelled in Stram’s “Stack Defense,” which called for him to come out of a base 4-3 and act as a fourth linebacker. In 1964, Bell earned All-AFL honors as a defensive end. The following season, however, Bell made the permanent transition to linebacker, where he’d spend the rest of his career as a punishing game wrecker.
In 1966, Bell helped the Chiefs storm through the AFL with an 11-2-1 record before dismantling the Buffalo Bills, 31-7, for the franchise’s second AFL Championship crown. A couple of weeks later, Kansas City was met with a clobbering of their own by the hands of the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, losing the game 35-10.
In 1969, Bell’s finest performance occurred during the AFL Division round against the New York Jets. Early in the fourth quarter, New York was knocking on the door with just a yard to gain to score a touchdown. The first two plays were runs that went nowhere. On third down, quarterback Joe Namath does a fake handoff to his running back and begins rolling to his right. The play was executed beautifully and probably would have scored except for one factor: Bell didn’t bite on the fake and pressured Namath into throwing incomplete, keeping the Jet out of the end zone.
Kansas City’s offense scored on the next possession, winning the game and going on a postseason run that ended with the Chiefs collecting a 23-7 upset over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.
Bell played five more seasons after the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 before retiring at the end of the 1974 season. Bell picked off 26 passes during his career, returning six for touchdowns. He also recorded a score off an onside kick and had two fumble recoveries for touchdowns.
After 12 seasons playing professional football, Bell is remembered for his fearsome appearance on the field and his willingness to withstand punishment while dishing it out. He is a Super Bowl champion, a two-time AFL champion, a six-time AFL All-Star, a three-time Pro Bowler, and a six-time First Team All-Pro.
In 1980, Bell was enshrined in the Chiefs’ Hall of Honor. Three years later, he became the first Kansas City Chiefs player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1984, Kansas City took a step further in honoring Bell by officially retiring his number 78 jersey.
After he retired from football, Bell opened Bobby Bell’s bar-b-que restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri.
