Vonn Bell joined the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason via free agency and told anyone who would listen he wants to dramatically change the team’s culture.
Bell’s a leader in a way onlookers don’t hear most talk about players. And that extends to the greater challenges facing the Bengals and entire NFL amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The new Bengals safety recently dropped a quote about how he’ll help his fellow NFL players approach things, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King:
Cincinnati safety Vonn Bell: “One of the first things you do as a mentor is be a big leader. You got guys who aren’t going to listen to the protocols, who want to live life their way. One guy could ruin a whole team. It’s crucial for guys to understand you can’t be selfish. Gotta think about team. Fight the temptation. I’m gonna make sure I talk to guys, say, ‘Stay in, think about the team.’ “
The comments come as other sports — especially the MLB — struggle with the challenges the pandemic presents.
Cincinnati, like the rest of the NFL, continues the slow onboarding process for rookies and will start to welcome veterans to town early this week.
Bell figures to be among those and has made it clear he’ll be at the forefront as a leader.
Given the budding trends established in other leagues so far, some NFL locker rooms will undoubtedly have issues as camps get going and the league looks to start the regular season on time. With a voice like Bell’s in Cincinnati, there’s hope the Bengals will handle the unique scenarios well from here.
