Theo Bell

No. 83

Position:

Wide receiver

Personal information

Date of birth:

December 21, 1953

Place of birth:

Bakersfield, California

Date of death:

June 21, 2006 (aged 52)

Place of death:

Tampa, Florida

Height:

6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)

Weight:

185 lb (84 kg)

Career information

College:

Arizona

NFL draft:

1976 / Round: 4 / Pick: 120

Career history

Pittsburgh Steelers (1976–1980)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1981–1985)

Career highlights and awards

2× Super Bowl champion (XIII, XIV)
2× AFC champion (1978, 1979)

Career NFL statistics

Receiving yards:	2,375
Receptions:	136
Receiving TDs:	8
Games played:	127
Player stats at NFL.com

Player stats at PFR

Theopolis Bell, Jr. (December 21, 1953 – June 21, 2006) was an American football wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bell, who was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, played college football at the University of Arizona and was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He was with the Steelers from 1976–80, earning Super Bowl rings in 1979 and 1980. He missed the 1977 season because of an injury. He is the Steelers' second-leading career punt returner, behind Rod Woodson.

Bell spent his first three years as a reserve, rising to a starting role in 1980 due to injuries to both Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. His 25.8 yards-per-catch average led the AFC that year.^[1] He then held out of training camp the next year, hoping to get a salary increase based on his performance. He was instead waived, and was claimed by the Buccaneers, where he replaced Mike Shumann on the roster.^[2]

During Bell's second season with the Steelers, his first wife, Kathy, appeared on Card Sharks and won several games for a total of $23,000 in prize money.

He died in Tampa, Florida at age 52 after suffering from scleroderma and kidney disease. He was survived by two children, Teleah Bell and Terran Bell (Kiana Bell).

References

↑ Zier, Patrick. "Tampa Bay waives Shumann, obtains Bell". The Lakeland Ledger. 3 Sep 1981
↑ Walston, Charles. "Bell Tickled To Sing Bucs' Tune". St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 3 Sep 1981

External links

Theo Bell at Pro-Football-Reference.com

Pittsburgh Steelers 1976 NFL draft selections

Bennie Cunningham Ray Pinney Mike Kruczek James Files Ron Coder Ernie Pough Wonder Monds Theo Bell Rodney Norton Gary Dunn Jack Deloplaine Barry Burton Ed McAleney Wentford Gaines Gary Campbell Rolland Fuchs Bill Carroll Larry Kain Wayne Field Mel Davis Randy Butts Kelvin Kirk

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIII Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 18 Cliff Stoudt 20 Rocky Bleier 21 Tony Dungy 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ray Oldham 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 40 Randy Reutershan 47 Mel Blount 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 69 Fred Anderson 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Ray Pinney 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 86 Jim Smith 87 Jim Mandich 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIV Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 9 Matt Bahr 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Greg Hawthorne 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 Anthony Anderson 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 47 Mel Blount 49 Dwayne Woodruff 50 Tom Graves 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 54 Zack Valentine 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 63 Thom Dornbrook 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 72 Gerry Mullins 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 85 Calvin Sweeney 86 Jim Smith 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Rollie Dotsch Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Louis Riecke Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

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