Le’Veon Bell will not set foot on an NFL field in 2022.
Bell and fellow former NFL running back Adrian Peterson are squaring off in a boxing match on July 30 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
During a pre-fight press conference, Bell shared that he would not be playing football this season, and that he sees himself fighting more than once.
“This year, I know I’m not going to be playing this year because I want to focus on boxing,” Bell said via Grant Gordon of NFL Media.
Le'Veon Bell not playing football this year: “This year, I know I’m not going to be playing this year because I want to focus on boxing.” Says it's not a one-off fight.
— Grant Gordon (@TCNGrantGordon) July 12, 2022
Bell played in the NFL as recently as last season, appearing in eight games (five with the Baltimore Ravens and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). He had just 39 rushes for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and caught five passes for 30 yards.
The 30-year-old has taken a season off before, but under different circumstances. Bell sat out the entire 2018 season due to a contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He hasn’t been the same since. A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro selection in Pittsburgh, Bell rushed for over 1,000 yards three times. He also had a career-high 321 carries and 406 total touches in 2017.
While Bell did not say if his absence from the sport would span past this year, it’ll be interesting to see if a successful start in the ring influences any future desire to put on the pads again.
