Sometimes, there are players who don't get to see their careers fully take off, as is the case with Cleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell. In what technically qualifies as his fourth year in the NFL, Bell recently took to social media to make a difficult announcement.
The former Purdue standout put out a statement on his decision to retire from the game of football at just 24 years old.
"Several months ago, I was blindsided by an off-field injury that was beyond my control, which put my football future in jeopardy," he wrote.
"After consulting with medical experts and praying, I accept that continuing to play football would risk life and limb. Although it is the last thing I would otherwise want to do, with a heavy heart I am announcing my retirement."
David Bell's NFL career was short-lived, but he goes down as a college football great
Bell didn't specify what exactly the injury was which forced him to retire, but the severity was certainly implied. It's a heartbreaking way to have to go out; not the way any professional athlete believes they will wind up calling it a career.
As a Brown, Bell ends his career with 41 receptions on 61 targets, for 408 yards and three touchdowns.
From 2019-2021 with the Boilermakers, though, Bell totaled 232 receptions for 2,946 yards and 21 scores. The Browns would go on to make him a third-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft at pick no. 99 overall.
As a freshman in 2019, Bell led the Big Ten with 86 catches. Then, as a sophomore, he led the conference in touchdown receptions with eight. And, in his final season as a junior, Bell averaged over 116 receiving yards per game.
He goes down as Purdue's fifth all-time leading receiver and also checks in at the same spot, no. 5 overall, in the most single-game receiving yards ever with 217 against Michigan State back in 2021.
Bell's best game as a pro came in the final week of the 2023 season when he had four receptions for 68 yards and two scores.