Le'Veon Bell ready to 'showcase' his skills in boxing after ruling out NFL return

Le'Veon Bell insists he will focus on a boxing career next rather than returning to the NFL this season.

The 30-year-old has not played since Week 18 of the last campaign and was released by the Buccaneers after underwhelming.

Bell - who also played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 - made just 44 touches in 180 snaps in eight games for the Buccaneers and Ravens combined.

While there was no talk of a team being interested in Bell, the ex-New York Jets star confirmed his next move - and it will involve another former running back.

"It's been a challenge I've been willing to accept, something I took on," Bell said during a promotional event for his upcoming fight with Adrian Peterson to NFL.com.

"Boxing is something that, you know, they always say it's something you can't play boxing. Last year, I almost sat out the whole year to try to focus on boxing because I kind of knew that was what I wanted to transition to.

"This year, I know I'm not going to be playing this year because I want to focus on boxing. So, this transition for me has kind of been like, I guess, another opportunity for me. I'm just ready to showcase what I'm about.

"This is not just a one-off. This is, I guess like my introduction to kind of show what I'll doing and how I'll be going about myself. Just an intro."

Bell - who has 6,554 career rushing yards and 42 touchdowns in his career, alongside 399 passes for 3,289 yards - will face Peterson on July 30 and believes his speed will be the difference.

"I obviously feel like I'm more quick than 99 percent of the people that I'm going to be in the ring with," Bell said. "My speed, my quickness, my timing, it's really going to be unmatched."