Le'Veon Andrew Bell Sr. (/ˈleɪviɒn/ LAY-vee-on;[1] born February 18, 1992) is an American professional boxer and former football running back.

He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.

Bell missed several games in the 2015 and 2016 seasons due to drug-related suspensions and injuries, but still put up solid numbers and was voted to the NFL Top 100 both times.

He spent his last NFL season on the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 before pursuing a career in professional boxing in 2022.

He also participated in track & field while at Groveport, where he ran the 100 and 200-meter dashes and was one of the state's top performers in the high jump (personal-best of 6 feet and 8 inches or 2.03 meters).

[5] Although he was a three-year starter in high school, Bell had limited scholarship offers from Bowling Green, Marshall, and Eastern Michigan, but he hoped to attend Ohio State.

[6] Bell's high school principal, Donis Toler Jr., believed he was under-recruited and reached out to Michigan State's head coach Mark Dantonio.

With football season over, Dantonio sent his running back's coach to scout Bell at his high school basketball game.

[28] Against Eastern Michigan on September 22, Bell ran for a career-high 253 yards on 36 carries in the 23–7 victory to earn the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Award.

[43] Bell, Dion Sims, William Gholston, Johnny Adams, and five other Michigan State prospects worked out in front of scouts and representatives from 29 NFL teams.

[44] Scouts considered Bell a big bruising back with quick feet and lower body strength and also gave him positive reviews for his ability to run north–south, for his strong cuts, and nice bursts through holes.

The only negative reviews were based on his limited ball-carrier vision, inconsistent blocking, and his height that would possibly affect his speed and ability to dodge tacklers.

[48][49] Bell entered training camp competing with veteran Isaac Redman for the Steelers' starting running back position.

[53] On November 28, Bell had 16 carries for 73 yards and ran for a season-long 43-yard touchdown, while also racking up a season-high seven catches for 63-yards during a 22–20 road loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.

[54] During a Week 16 road matchup against the Green Bay Packers, Bell had a season-high 26 carries for 124 yards and a rushing touchdown in the 38–31 victory.

[69] On December 28, Bell was injured against the Bengals in the Week 17 regular season finale when he hyperextended his knee while being tackled by safety Reggie Nelson.

[79][80] After being arrested with then-teammate LeGarrette Blount on DUI and marijuana possession charges in August 2014, Bell was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the 2015 regular season.

[88][89] On November 1, Bell suffered a season-ending torn MCL during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals, after being tackled by linebacker Vontaze Burfict.

[91] On November 6, it was reported by NFL Network analyst Jason La Canfora that Bell had undergone successful surgery to repair the damage to his MCL/PCL.

[107][108] The next week, he broke his own team playoff record with 170 rushing yards on 30 carries in an 18–16 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.

[110] However, he suffered a groin injury late in the game, which grew unmanageable during the AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots, and he was forced to leave in the second quarter.

After news broke across the internet, Bell tweeted: "I'm trying to win a super bowl...I can care less about what happens after this season...my biggest thing I'm focused on is this team I'm on right now, playing for/with my brothers, & bringing back a 7th ring!

[135] Bell refused to sign the franchise tag and did not attend any team activities after contract negotiations stalled on July 16.

[138][139] On February 20, 2019, the Steelers announced that they would not use the franchise tag on Bell, making him a free agent at the start of the new official NFL year on March 13.

When asked about the social media interaction, Jets' head coach Adam Gase said that "I hate that's the route that we go with all of this instead of just talking to me about it, but it is the way guys want to do it nowadays.

[161] On December 22, 2021, Bell signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reuniting with former Pittsburgh Steelers teammates Antonio Brown, Ross Cockrell, and Steve McLendon.

He has Jeremiah 1:5 on his left arm with a picture of his mother embracing him after Michigan State suffered a loss in the Big Ten Championship.

[195] The fight was originally scheduled for July 31 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, but was postponed after AnEsonGib, a fighter in the card's main event, had medical issues.

[197] On October 29, 2022, Bell made his professional boxing debut against American mixed martial arts fighter Uriah Hall at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

[199] On March 4, 2023, it was announced that Bell would face British YouTuber JMX as the headline bout for MF & DAZN: X Series 006 at the XULA Convocation Centre in New Orleans, Louisiana, on April 21.