Newest Bear rings a Bell
On the first NFL snap of his career, Kahlil Bell looked like a few inept Bears of yore as he dropped a Jay Cutler pass in the flat.
But on his second snap during the Bears' 24-20 loss to the Eagles at Soldier Field on Sunday night, the rookie running back from UCLA raced up the middle for 72 yards.
"It's been a long time since I've actually got a chance to play football, you know, live football," Bell said. "And to have a first carry like that? The only thing that could have made it better is if I scored, but I don't really have that kind of speed."
If it seemed like a long time since a Bears runner chewed up so much grass, that's because it represented the franchise's longest rush since a 73-yard Neal Anderson jaunt on Dec. 17, 1989 against Green Bay.
Bell's remarkable debut begs the question: How did this 5-foot-11, 212-pound powerhouse go undrafted in April?
Well, among other reasons, Bell needed 4.78 seconds to run the 40-yard dash in February at the NFL combine.
Not to say that's slow, but 10 linebackers, six defensive linemen and a 6-foot-2, 227-pound kicker from USC posted faster times than Bell.
Bell chopped his time to 4.74 during a UCLA pro day, but that didn't earn any nibbles on draft day.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Bell to a free-agent contract during the preseason, but they waived him in August after he got just 3 carries.
The Bears signed Bell to their practice squad Sept. 16, where he served primarily as fodder for the first-string defense until Friday.
That's when the Bears placed Garrett Wolfe on injured reserve and elevated Bell to the varsity.
"I was just trying to get the defense ready for whatever running back they were going against," Bell said of practice-squad days. "Whether it was Michael Turner or Cedric Benson - and just try to emulate them and work on my skills at the same time, so if I ever got an opportunity I could try to take full advantage of it."
Based on Sunday's 4-carry, 81-yard effort as Matt Forte's backup, Bell won't be returning to the JV squad any time soon.
His parents, Mike and Liz, couldn't believe their son's good fortune. Mike Bell stood outside the Bears locker room after the game and couldn't be mistaken for anyone else. He wore his son's gray UCLA sweatsuit and a huge smile.
"We're still in shock," Mike Bell said. "We don't want to wake up."
Bell's 72-yard run, which came early in the second quarter, either showcased his lack of quicks or Johnny Knox's blazing speed.
Knox trailed Bell by 7 yards, but hustled to get in front of him and pester Eagles safety Sean Jones enough to earn Bell another 10 yards or so.
Bell's run got the Bears to the Philadelphia 18, but the drive ended with a Robbie Gould 28-yard field goal that pulled the hosts within 10-6.