Yeremiah Bell is ready for the next chapter of his professional career.
The former George Rogers Clark High School and Eastern Kentucky defensive back is exploring options as he approaches his 10th season in the National Football League. Bell was released by the Miami Dolphins earlier this year and has been testing the free agency market since.
The New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots are among teams that have shown an interest in Bell since he was released by the Dophins.
“I’ve got a couple of options and now we are just waiting to see what happens,” he said. “My goal is really to be somewhere by training camp (in July). As long as I am somewhere by then, I’ll feel pretty comfortable. Right now, I’m conditioning and doing things of that nature (to get ready for next season).”
As for the team of his choice, Bell doesn’t have a preference.
“I just want to play football,” he said. “I’ve been doing it for a while and I’m just anxious to get back into it. It doesn’t matter who (I’m playing for). I think all teams involved know what type of player they’re going to get and I’m just excited to start something new and get started.”
Bell wants to spend “two to three” more years in the league and wants to eventually get into coaching at the high school level. Former Major League pitcher Matt Ginter took the same route and is in his first season as head baseball coach at George Rogers Clark High School.
“Coaching is something that I am very interested in when I am done playing prefessionally,” he said. “I definitely want to coach. I basically want to coach high school. That’s where you learn most of your craft, (skills) and things like that. I would just like to help the kids and give them some insights on things that I have seen, my knowledge of the game and things like that. I also think it would be fun.”
Bell was drafted by the Dophins in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft and had spent his entire professional career with the Dolphins until his recent release from the squad. He gained a reputation as one of the premier secondary players in the league.
“I’ve always been somebody who has worked hard,” he said. “When I saw something, I was a guy who went out and got it. I noticed that nothing is given to you in life and I learned at a very young age that if you want something, you have to go out and get it. I’ve always been a guy where nothing was handed (to me). I think that made me better off.”
Bell wasn’t surprised by Miami’s decision not to retain his services for another season.
“I was in the final year of my contract and it’s just standard business (in the NFL),” he said. “I knew going into that final year. ... they kept saying they weren’t going to release me, but as a player being around the business so long, you kind of see things coming. I’d be foolish to say I didn’t see it coming, but at the same time I wasn’t disappointed. I know that’s the way it goes and it’s the nature of the business.”
In his nine seasons with Miami, Bell finished with 433 tackles and six interceptions. He had three picks in 2009 and was named to the Pro Bowl one year later in 2010. Bell had 81 tackes, two sacks and an interception last season.
“I thank Miami for just giving me the opportunity to fulfill a dream,” he said. “I have no negative feelings or anything like that toward them and I am looking forward to the next chapter of my life.”
Although he’s not sure where he will be playing this fall, he’s enjoying his stay in Winchester.
“I’m just chilling with my family,” he said. “I’m enjoying my family time and waiting to see what happens.”
