Kenny Bell might just be the most famous unknown football player in the world. If you’re one of the billions of people that plays the popular video game “Madden NFL,” then you have definitely seen him in action. Bell has been one of the main athletes used for motion capture by EA Sports for over a decade.
Bell was born in Torrance, Los Angeles, California and grew up mainly in Long Beach and Cerritos. Kenny attended Gahr High School in Cerritos, where he was a top wide receiver and punt return specialist. Kenny was a junior college graduate from Cerritos College, where he was coached by the acclaimed Frank Mazzota. Cerritos College was also attended by former NFL wide receiver T.J Houshmandzadeh.
Kenny then attended Hofstra University. His collegiate career was hampered by transfer-credit problems and an injury, and he was mainly a practice squad member. Kenny’s speed, strong hands, and ability always impressed pro football scouts who attended practices.
In the 2002 NFL Draft Kenny had hopes that he would be drafted in the late rounds or get picked up as an undrafted free agent. He just wanted one team to take a chance on him so he could show off his talents.
In 2003 Kenny pawned a few personal possessions to raise the money for a trip to the NFL scouting combine. He put up some great numbers and believed he had impressed a few teams. He ran a 4.33 40-yard time and caught every pass thrown to him.
Kenny had try outs for some Arena Football League teams, the Oakland Raiders, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans, and the Buffalo Bills, but just couldn’t catch a break. Kenny was down but never game up hoping and believing.
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In 2003, fed up working jobs including construction, landscaping, security, and sewage clean up, Kenny accepted an offer to work with in motion capture.
Bell worked with Midway Games as a tackling dummy before hooking up with Sony’s 989 Sports and finally with Electronic Arts to work on “Madden NFL”. Bell has also been a stuntman and starred in a couple of Nike commercials. Kenny has worked in motion capture for more than a decade and is represented by 3rd and 1 Inc. for his roles with EA Sports.
In 2005, Kenny worked out with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback Jeff Garcia, who also wrote him a letter of recommendation.
Kenny continues to work with EA Sports on “Madden NFL” imitating some of the NFL’s greatest players. Although he enjoys what he does, virtual football is not Kenny’s definitive goal. He wants to play on a real NFL team.
Bell is 5’9” and 170 lbs and has amazing speed. He is very dynamic, a proficient route runner and can make any catch on the field. He is also a return specialist, making him a dual threat guy.
Bell is always training and keeping himself in peak shape hoping to get that chance to prove just how good he is. He is currently training with one of football’s finest technique coaches, Joseph Lee Jr., and speed coach Dale Baskett. He has also coached players at every level.
Let’s take a look at Kenny in action.
Kenny, along with business partners Reggie Mitchell and Edward Senatus, operate a non-profit organization called S.E.L.F (Supporting Education Leadership and Fitness). The organization is dedicated to giving back to local communities in Las Vegas by enhancing the lives of youth through sports training, mentoring, tutoring, and life skills development. S.E.L.F was established by Mitchell and Senatus in 2015.
I had the chance to speak to Mitchell about S.E.L.F., a topic he is very passionate about.
“The plan over the next year is to build a training facility; it will be a full-service multi-sport complex here in Las Vegas. We hope that the use of this facility will allow the athletes to gain enjoyment and an appreciation for academics, for fitness and for life. We are also holding a series of football camps throughout June 2015, they will be held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas starting with a Skills Camp on the 7th of June.”
To register online and for more information go to www.unlverebels.com/camps/#football
S.E.L.F is a great organization and I’m sure that Bell, Mitchell and Senatus will continue to help the youth of Las Vegas for years to come. They are currently accepting donations to help build the training facility on the S.E.L.F website www.1self.us. It would be a massive help if people were to donate to such a worthy cause.
Next: Kenny 'Madden Man' Bell Interview
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