Ricky Bell (running back)

Ricky Lynn Bell (April 8, 1955 – November 28, 1984) was an American professional football player who played running back in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego Chargers from 1977 to 1982. Bell played football collegiately at USC. He was the younger brother of recording artist Archie Bell.

College career
Bell first attracted notice during his sophomore season in 1974 as a devastating blocker and between-the-tackles runner, sharing fullback duties with David Farmer for the 10-1-1 UPI National Champions that went to defeat Ohio State in the Rose Bowl 18-17. In 1975, Bell led the Trojans to a 7-0 start; however, the almost complete lack of a passing attack to balance the offense, coupled with head coach John McKay's mid-season announcement that he would not be returning after the season. resulted in the team stumbling to an 8-4 finish, capped by a Liberty Bowl victory over Texas A&M. During this season, Bell led the nation in rushing, gaining 1,875 yards, and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. As an encore, Bell led the 1976 Trojans to a #2 ranking and 11-1 record, capped by a victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Despite suffering nagging injuries that limited his playing time, Bell set the single-game rushing record of 347 yards against Washington State University, and finished as the Heisman runner-up to Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett. Bell was voted Pac-10 player of the year in 1976. He was also awarded the 1976 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast.

NFL career
Bell was the first overall draft choice in the 1977 NFL Draft, selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bell's agent was Michael L Trope, known as Mike during his days as an NFL agent. Bell signed a five-year contract for a reported $1.2 million. It was far and away the richest contract ever signed by an NFL rookie. The pick was somewhat controversial because Tony Dorsett was being projected as an arguably better back than Bell. Bell's selection was not a surprise, however, because Tampa Bay was coached by John McKay, Bell's former coach at USC. In 1979, Bell enjoyed his finest season, rushing for 1,263 yards and leading the Buccaneers to the NFC Central Division crown. He led the Buccaneers to their first playoff win in franchise history that season by rushing for 142 yards on 38 carries scoring 2 touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles. The team fell one game short of a trip to Super Bowl XIV, ending their season as NFC runners up to the Los Angeles Rams.

Death
Bell died in 1984 of heart failure caused by dermatomyositis. Mario Van Peebles portrayed the player in the made-for-television movie, A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, which was based on Bell's life. Bell's remains are interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood California.

Bell's agent Trope announced that he and about 25 of his clients in the NFL would donate approximately $100,000 to the Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (ICAN) to establish a neighborhood family center in South Central Los Angeles as a memorial to the late Ricky Bell. Trope donated $27,000.00, the Rams' Johnnie Johnson (American football) donated $5,000.00 at the time of the announcement.

Honors

 * Bell was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
 * Member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.