After a grueling workout on the stair stepper and a voicemail from the Nebraska Football Foundation’s Bob Mancuso, former Nebraska wide receiver Kenny Bell learned news that many athletes hope to someday hear.
Bell gave Mancuso a call back and found out that he will be getting inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame on Friday night. The program will then recognize the 2025 induction class before the Huskers’ game against Houston Christian at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
“I was overjoyed, and then it was just a rush of gratefulness, kind of the realization of the group of guys that have come before me and getting to join them.” said Bell, now a member of the Hurrdat Sports team. “In a class like I have, it’s overwhelming almost.”
Joining Bell in the 2025 induction class are include offensive lineman Tom Welter (1980s era), I-back Derek Brown (1990s era), late I-back Dahrran Diedrick (2000-07 era), place-kicker/punter Brett Maher (2008-2015 era), linebacker Bob Nelson (veteran inductee) and Omaha linebacker Tom Sutko (state college representative).
Additionally, Nebraska Deputy AD/Student Services Dennis Leblanc will receive the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award and long-time team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Dugas is the 2025 recipient of the Clarence Swanson Memorial Award. Johnny Rodgers, a 1973 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame inductee and 2016 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, will also receive the inaugural Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Legend Award.
Bell played for the Huskers from 2010 to 2014 and holds records for most career receiving yards (2,689) and most receptions (181) while starting the most games for an offensive player in school history (49). The 6-foot-1, 175-pound receiver scored 21 touchdowns including one kickoff return.
Now, Bell will have a chance to celebrate his career with family, friends and Husker fans on Saturday.
“The first person I called immediately was my mom, and she started crying, which obviously brought me to tears,” Bell said. “And then I got to tell all my Colorado friends, who have been giving me a hard time since forever about being a Husker when we’re all from Boulder, (Colorado). But this weekend, I’ve got a lot of people coming out, family, friends. I’m just very, very grateful for the network that I have, the support system, and it’s been fun to tell everybody.”
Bell said that there’s a variety of different things he considers when thinking about playing for Nebraska.
“When I reflect on my playing career, I’d say the very first thing that comes to mind are my teammates, my coaches, my family,” Bell said. “I wouldn’t ever say I remember particular moments in games or plays, obviously I do, but I remember the laughs and the good times. Honestly the tears, the hard work that was put in not only by me, but my family, my teammates, that kind of stuff. Football removes you from your family a bit, and it indoctrinates you into a mission for a while. Luckily for me, our mission was family and supporting one another, and I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
Bell was on the sideline for one of the most iconic moments in program history, a memory that stands above the rest from a Hall of Fame career.
“By far my favorite memory inside Memorial Stadium was the Spring Game when Jack Hoffman scored his touchdown,” Bell said. “That memory is such a core memory to my college experience, and it has led to so many phenomenal relationships and experiences with not only the Hoffman family, but the Team Jack Foundation and all the families and kids that are involved in that. So that sits head and shoulders above any other memory I have.”
Bell said the outpouring of love from Husker nation now and throughout his career means a lot to him.
“I’m just so grateful,” Bell said. “The fact that I’m a Coloradan and the Nebraska fan base has always welcomed me with open arms, and that goes back to when I came here for the Kansas State game just as a recruit. This was far before I ever caught a pass or scored a touchdown for the Huskers.
“It was always the love and support that the community shows for the program. If you can tap into that, and you show love back and you are genuine with them, they will embrace you for the rest of your life, and that’s exactly how I try and live my life with Husker fans and Husker nation, is because they’ve always loved and supported me, and I’ll do the same.”
As for the legacy Bell wants to leave, he hopes people remember him for one thing.
“The number one thing I want fans or any person to think of me as is a good human,” Bell said. “That I was a good man, and that if you interacted with me, it was a true joy. I try and make every interaction with fans friendly, with family obviously really friendly. But I really want people to know that I care about people, I care about fans, I care about these sports programs and the kids that are in them. I want to be known as a good neighbor, and a good man.”
