Yeremiah Bell

Yeremiah Bell, a native of Winchester, Kentucky, attended George Rogers Clark High School, where he excelled as a multi-sport athlete. Not highly recruited out of high school, he took a job working in a steel mill for the next two years. One Sunday, while watching The Roy Kidd Show on a local TV station, he had a realization: “I can play college football.” Inspired, he walked on at Eastern Kentucky University to play for Coach Roy Kidd—and the rest, as they say, is history.

A standout at Eastern Kentucky University, Yeremiah Bell overcame a challenging journey to reach the NFL. He made an immediate impact with the Colonels, earning a starting role as a freshman in 1999. By his sophomore year, he had secured first-team All-OVC honors. His junior season was a breakout campaign, earning him Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-America recognition. Bell entered his senior year with high expectations, but a serious knee injury suffered during a summer 2002 pickup basketball game sidelined him for the entire season. Despite not playing his senior year, he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

After spending his rookie season with the Dolphins primarily on special teams, Bell made his mark in the 2005 season. On November 13, 2005, in a game against the New England Patriots, he recorded his first career interception—picking off Tom Brady—which helped set up a Dolphins touchdown just six plays later. That moment marked the beginning of Bell’s rise as a reliable force in the Dolphins’ secondary.

Bell became a full-time starter by 2006 and was known for his physicality, field awareness, and leadership. Over the course of his 10-year career, he played in 142 regular season games, amassing 729 total tackles, 13 sacks, 8 interceptions, and 9 forced fumbles. He led the Miami Dolphins in tackles in 2008 and 2009.

After nine seasons with the Dolphins, Bell went on to play for the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, continuing to bring veteran leadership and toughness to every locker room he joined. He retired following the 2012 season, concluding a decade-long career defined by grit and consistency.

After retiring from the NFL in 2012, Bell returned to his home state, where he now leads several community-focused initiatives. He’s actively involved in youth mentorship programs, especially in rural Kentucky, and runs a successful real estate and property development business focused on revitalizing underserved areas. Bell is married and a father, continuing to lead by example through his dedication to family, service, and giving back.

In 2009, he was named to the Eastern Kentucky University All-Century Team, celebrating 100 years of football at EKU.

Images licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Biography by Grace Frericks.