He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft.
As a sophomore, he garnered six sacks and 132 tackles, and helped lead his defensive unit to a No.1 ranking in the nation.
Bell attended the University of Georgia and was a Child and Family Development Major and a letterman in football.
Bell would prove to be an excellent fit for the Steelers defense, notably due to his blitzing abilities.
Bell was voted the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, having accumulated nine sacks on the season.
In the 36–33 comeback win over the Browns, Bell recorded nine tackles but injured his knee in the final quarter and was listed as doubtful for the following week at Tennessee.