One player at the FCS level has (probably) seen his playing career come to an end. Fortunately, though, he’s still alive to talk about it.
Tennessee State’s Jordan Bell was involved in a serious motorcycle accident on April 4 of this year that left his left leg badly damaged. According to The Tennessean, Bell was transported via ambulance to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. An initial surgery was performed in an attempt to save the right leg. Ultimately, following a second surgery, the decision was made to amputate the running back’s left leg just below the knee.
To his credit, Bell is not allowing the development to dampen his spirits. Or his drive.
“I’m not going crazy, thinking about my whole future right now,” Bell told the newspaper. “But I’m (motivated) to make big chunks in progress (toward) what I’m focused on. And what I’m focused on right now is mid-May. That’s when I’m going to walk and do everything myself. I’m going to be ready for my prosthetic.”
As a redshirt freshman in 2018, Bell appeared in five games. He carried the ball twice for five yards. He was also credited with five special teams tackles. This past season, the Antioch, Tenn., native was credited with eight tackles on special teams.
“You pray for them every day — to keep them from any hurt, harm or danger,” Bell’s head coach, Rod Reed, stated about all of his players. “When you hear something as tragic as that, it really breaks your heart.”
And, is far as the “probably” in the lede? Family members told TMZ.com that “one of Jordan’s goals is to “eventually play football again.”
Tennessee State is scheduled to open the 2020 season against Southern University Sept. 5. There are no FBS schools on the Tigers’ slate this year. Last season, the FCS school faced one FBS program -- Middle Tennessee State. They are also slated to play Mississippi State in November of 2021.
