A versatile South Carolina-turned-Florida State H-back who bounced from New England's roster to Pittsburgh's practice squad before signing on for 2026.
Jaheim Bell built his college reputation as a hybrid tight end/H-back who could line up in the backfield or split out wide across stops at South Carolina and Florida State. After a rocky path through New England and two Pennsylvania practice squads, he signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh in 2026.
Path to the league
Bell played three seasons at South Carolina before transferring to Florida State for his final college year. The New England Patriots drafted him in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. In 38 college games he caught 95 passes for 1,260 yards and nine touchdowns, adding four rushing scores.
Career highlights
Bell appeared in 15 games for New England as a rookie in 2024, catching two passes for 20 yards while working as a depth tight end and special-teams piece. His college profile as an H-back who can align in multiple spots has kept him in demand as a depth and developmental option at the position.
2025 season recap
New England released Bell in August 2025, and he spent the season bouncing through Philadelphia's and Pittsburgh's practice squads without appearing in a regular-season game. Pittsburgh signed him to its practice squad late in the year and brought him back on a one-year contract in 2026.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jaheim Bell
- Pro Football Reference: Jaheim Bell
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | patriots | 15 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 19 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Florida State
- Hometown
- Lake City, FL, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
