Vonn Bell

An unrestricted free agent signee in 2020, Bell has been a captain in both of his Bengals seasons and is considered among the most reliable defenders on the team ... Led the defense in snaps — 1276, including playoffs — for AFC Champion Bengals in 2021, and has played a team-high 95 percent (2335 of 2457) of defensive snaps, including playoffs, since joining the team in 2020 ... Known for his tackling proficiency, he has ranked within the top two on his team in both total tackles and solo tackles in each of his six NFL seasons (four with N.O., two with Cin.) ... Second on team in tackles (97) in 2021, after leading the team in that category a year earlier ... Made one of the signature plays of the 2021 postseason, with an INT of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in OT of the AFC Championship to set up the FG drive that sent Cincinnati to Super Bowl LVI ... Originally a second-round draft pick of New Orleans in 2016, and spent his first four NFL seasons ('16-19) with the Saints ... Played collegiately at Ohio State, where he helped team to a national championship in 2014.

Pro Career:

• An unrestricted free agent signee in 2020, Bell has been a captain in both of his Bengals seasons and is considered among the most reliable defenders on the team ... Led the defense in snaps — 1276, including playoffs — for AFC Champion Bengals in 2021, and has played a team-high 95 percent (2335 of 2457) of defensive snaps, including playoffs, since joining the team in 2020.
• Known for his tackling proficiency, he has ranked within the top two on his team in both total tackles and solo tackles in each of his six NFL seasons (four with N.O., two with Cin.) ... Second on team in tackles (97) in 2021, after leading the team in that category a year earlier.
• Made one of the signature plays of the 2021 postseason, with an INT of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in OT of the AFC Championship to set up the FG drive that sent Cincinnati to Super Bowl LVI ... Originally a second-round draft pick of New Orleans in 2016, and spent his first four NFL seasons ('16-19) with the Saints.

Career Transactions:

• Selected by New Orleans in second round of 2016 NFL Draft (61st overall) ... Signed with Saints on 5-11-16 ... Saints contract expired on 3-18-20; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed as unrestricted free agent with Cincinnati on 3-26-20.

2021 Season:

• Team captain played and started 16 regular-season games and all four postseason games, including Super Bowl LVI ... Led team in defensive snaps 1004 of possible 1124 during regular season, and played all but two of possible 274 snaps in postseason ... Posted 97 tackles (second on team), a half sack, an INT, eight PDs and a FR ... Tied for team lead with nine tackles on Oct. 10 vs. Green Bay, including three that went for losses.
• On Oct. 31 at the N.Y. Jets, forced and recovered a fumble on WR Jamison Crowder to set up a Bengals FG drive ... Intercepted a Josh Johnson pass on Dec. 26 vs. Baltimore, thwarting a Ravens drive that had reached Cincinnati's 28-yard line ... Made one of the signature plays of the postseason in overtime of the AFC Championship at Kansas City, when he picked off a deep pass from QB Patrick Mahomes to WR Tyreek Hill and returned it seven yards, giving the Bengals the ball for what became a game-winning FG drive.
• Part of Bengals pass defense that in two wins over Kansas City (regular-season matchup on Jan. 2, and AFC Championship on Jan. 30) held the Chiefs' high-powered offense in the second halves and one overtime (AFC Championship) to a combined 66 passing yards and six points ... Started Super Bowl LVI against the L.A. Rams and had seven tackles, including one for a loss.

2020 Season:

• Started all 16 games in first season with Bengals, and was only player to play every possible snap on either offense or defense (1059 defensive snaps) ... Had a team-high 114 tackles, along with five PDs, three FFs and two FRs ... On Nov. 22 at Washington, tallied a season-high and game-high 14 tackles, along with one PD ... Had 10 tackles on Nov. 29 vs. the N.Y. Giants, and forced and recovered a fumble that he returned for 28 yards and set up a FG drive for Cincinnati.
• On Dec. 6 at Miami, had six tackles and recovered a fumble deep in Cincinnati territory that he returned 37 yards ... Recorded seven tackles in Bengals' upset win over Pittsburgh on Dec. 21, and had signature play of the game when he laid a big hit on Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster and forced a fumble, which the Bengals recovered and later converted into a TD.

Previous Seasons:

• 2019 (Saints)—Played and started 13 games for New Orleans, along with Divisional Playoff vs. Minnesota ... Inactive for the final three regular-season games due to a knee injury ... Totaled 86 tackles (second on team), including 1.5 sacks, and had one INT, five PDs, two FFs and an NFL-best five FRs (one returned for a TD) ... Helped Saints rank fourth in the NFL in run defense (91.3 yards/game) ... On Sept. 22 at Seattle, recovered a fumble by RB Chris Carson and returned it 33 yards for his first-career TD.Had 10 tackles and a PD on Sept. 29 vs. Dallas, and recovered a Jason Witten fumble, and then later forced and recovered a fumble by Ezekiel Elliott that set up a Saints FG drive to end the half ... Recorded eight tackles and a PD on Oct. 20 at Chicago, and forced and recovered a fumble by WR Anthony Miller in the first quarter that set up a Saints TD drive.On Nov. 17 at Tampa Bay, had a shared sack of Jameis Winston, and later intercepted Winston with nine seconds left in the first half to thwart a Bucs scoring opportunity ... After missing final three regular-season games with a knee injury, returned to start Divisional Playoff vs. Minnesota and recorded seven tackles and recovered an Adam Thielen fumble on the third play of the game that set up a Saints FG drive.
• 2018 (Saints)—Played in all 16 games (eight starts) for New Orleans ... Totaled 87 tackles (second on team), a sack, three PDs, a FF and a FR ... Helped Saints rank No. 2 in the NFL in run defense (80.2) ... On Thanksgiving night vs. Atlanta, posted seven tackles and recovered a Matt Ryan Fumble at the end of the first half that thwarted a Falcons drive that had reached the Saints' 23-yard line ... Started both of Saints' playoff games and totaled seven tackles and a PD.
• 2017 (Saints)—Played all 16 games (10 starts) for New Orleans, and totaled 78 tackles (led team), 4.5 sacks (led all NFL DBs), two PDs and two FFs ... Helped Saints rank tied for 10th in the NFL in points allowed per game (20.4) ... Also had career-high five tackles on special teams ... On Nov. 5 at Tampa Bay, posted five tackles, including a half sack, along with a PD and FF ... On Nov. 19, recorded career-high 13 tackles, including sack/fumble on Washington QB Kirk Cousins that sealed OT win ... Led team with 17 tackles in postseason play ... Had team-high nine tackles in Wild Card Playoff win vs. Carolina, and his 17-yard sack of Cam Newton on fourth-and-23 with 11 seconds left in the game sealed a win for New Orleans ... Eight tackles in Divisional Playoff at Minnesota.
• 2016 (Saints)—Played in all 16 games (14 starts) as a rookie for New Orleans ... Totaled 83 tackles, a sack, four PDs, two FFs and a FR ... Also had four tackles on special teams ... Made first career start on Sept. 18 at the N.Y. Giants and racked up 10 tackles ... Recorded nine tackles and a FF on Oct. 2 at San Diego ... On Nov. 6 at San Francisco, recorded six tackles, a half sack and a FR.

College:

• Spent three years (2013-15) at Ohio State ... Posted career totals of 176 tackles, nine INTs, 24 PDs and two FRs ... First-team All-American (AP) as junior, and semifinalist for Jim Thorpe Award (nation's top DB) ... As sophomore in 2014, started 14 games and had 92 tackles (second on team) for OSU team that won national championship in first-ever College Football Playoff.

High School/Personal:

• Hometown is Rossville, Ga. (outside Chattanooga, Tenn.) ... Attended Ridgeland High School in Rossville, where as a senior he totaled 146 tackles and three INTs on defense, and 1700 all-purpose yards and 21 TDs on offense ... Helped Ridgeland to 13-2 record and Georgia Class AAAA state runner-up finish as a senior ... Began his high school career at Central High School in Chattanooga ... His father, Vincent, played OLB at Murray State.