Former NFL running back Le'Veon Bell was arrested over the weekend in connection with an alleged failure to pay child support, according to TMZ.
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Bell's attorney, Thomas Shaffer, told TMZ that the former Pittsburgh Steelers star's child support obligation was calculated using the salary he earned during his NFL career, despite the fact that he has not received that level of income in several years.
This latest scandal comes after he lost a recent sexual abuse case by default.
Now, according to TMZ, Bell allegedly owes more than $50,000 in unpaid child support. The case is being handled by the Michigan Attorney General's Office because the child involved lives in Michigan.
Le'Veon Bell, No. 26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers, watches the game from the sideline in the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers during the preseason game at Heinz Field on Sept. 3, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Bell, who now resides in California, was in Canton, Ohio, for an autograph signing shortly before his arrest.
Shaffer told TMZ that Bell previously used a portion of his NFL pension to make a $50,000 child support payment earlier this year. The attorney said Bell intends to explain his current financial circumstances to a judge, arguing that support payments should be based on his present income rather than what he earned during his playing career.
TMZ also noted that Bell was hit with a $25 million default judgment in 2025 after failing to appear in court in the aforementioned civil sexual abuse case stemming from allegations made in 2024. Bell previously denied wrongdoing in that matter.
Bell, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, spent eight seasons in the NFL with the Steelers, Jets, Chiefs, Ravens and Buccaneers before stepping away from football.
