Former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell was arrested in Ohio on a warrant connected to allegedly unpaid child support.
Bell, 34, was taken into custody Sunday, July 19, after appearing at a public autograph signing at Belden Village Mall in Canton.
He was booked into the Stark County Jail, where the listed reason for his detention was a “courtesy hold for another agency.”
TMZ reported that Bell allegedly owes more than $50,000 in child support for a child living in Michigan. His attorney said the former Pittsburgh Steelers star intends to explain his current financial circumstances to a judge.
The Arrest Followed a Public Autograph Signing
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Bell had been advertised for a July 19 meet-and-greet at Prime Time Sports & Framing inside Belden Village Mall. The event offered fans opportunities to purchase autographs, inscriptions and photographs with the former player. According to Jordan Miller News, law enforcement took Bell into custody after the appearance and transferred him to the county jail.
TMZ reported that the warrant is tied to child support Bell allegedly owes for a child in Michigan. The outlet said the Michigan Attorney General’s office is handling the matter, explaining why Bell was detained in Ohio for another jurisdiction.
Neither the Michigan Attorney General’s office nor another government agency had publicly released a payment history, court order or calculation showing how the alleged total was reached when the initial reports were published.
Bell’s Attorney Says the Payments Were Based on His NFL Income
Attorney Thomas Shaffer told TMZ that Bell has struggled to meet a support obligation established when he was earning a professional football salary. “Le’Veon is struggling to make support payments, which are based on a healthy NFL salary, a salary he’s not earned in years,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer also claimed that Bell used what the attorney described as his entire $50,000 NFL pension earlier in 2026 to make child support payments. The attorney said Bell plans to present his financial situation to the judge.
Bell Last Played in the NFL in 2021
The Steelers selected Bell in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He became one of the league’s leading dual-threat running backs during his years in Pittsburgh, earning three Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro honors.
Bell later played for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has pursued boxing and music since his final NFL appearances during the 2021 season.