Bobby Bell

The Hall of Famer, Bobby Bell, has won just about every possible football award there is, including being named to the National Football League’s (NFL) top 100 players over the last 100 years list. Bobby was the first Kansas City Chiefs player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a two-time All-American Defensive End at the University of Minnesota, College Football’s Outland Trophy Winner, he was the third runner up for the Heisman Trophy and he played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1963 – 1974. While playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, he simultaneously worked for General Motors in its labor relations division. During his amazing career, he led the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl I appearance and to a Super Bowl IV championship. Bobby garnered 26 career interceptions, returned six of those for touchdowns, ran back one onside kick for a touchdown and was selected six times to the AFL All-Star game. He was a three-time NFL Pro Bowl player, a member of the AFL’s All-Time team as well as a member of the NFL’s 1970’s All-Decade team.

After retiring from the NFL in 1974, Bobby owned and operated five Bobby Bell BBQ restaurants for more than 15 years – two in Kansas and three in Missouri. In addition, he served as a Kansas City Chief Ambassador, has participated in fundraising activities for Joe Namath’s March of Dimes efforts, helped Ted Hendricks with multiple charities, including Special Olympics, ALS Research and Iraq Veterans and the Fred Biletnikoff organization, which builds homes and provides counseling for teens in crisis. 

Bobby has been inducted into multiple Halls of Fames, including the Shelby, North Carolina Hall of Fame, North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, the University of Minnesota Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and, of course, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Hall of Fame. Bobby’s #78 jersey was retired at the University of Minnesota and by the Kansas City Chiefs. He is one of only five players to have their number retired at the University.

For more than five years, Bobby has been on the selection committee for the Brandon Burlsworth Trophy along with Dan Reeves, Kurt Warner, Herm Edwards and David Baker. The Trophy honors college football’s most outstanding walk-on players.

Bobby has undertaken a Hall of Fame-type career in philanthropic endeavors as well. While serving within the Chiefs’ Ambassadors program, he has raised money for many organizations throughout the Kansas City area, including the Ronald McDonald house, Children’s Mercy Hospital and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Part of his duties, as an Ambassador, include participation in yearly golf tournaments in Kansas City to raise money for different charities.