WATCH ABOVE: Edmonton Eskimos rookie Shakir Bell is getting his feet wet in the CFL and in Canada. Quinn Phillips asked him a few rapid fire questions to get to know him a little better.
EDMONTON — Edmonton Eskimos running back Shakir Bell carried the ball 18 times for 144 yards and was named Shaw’s CFL Top Performer.
Great numbers from a determined runner. The rookie stands at just 5’8″ and 185 pounds.
“He’s a small guy, yeah; tough to judge heart though,” said Chris Jones, Eskimos Head Coach.
“He’s a guy that really cares about the game and this team,” added Quarterback Matt Nichols. “He just wants to do anything he can do to help this team win.”
That debut has set the bar high, but the expectations won’t meet that bar.
“We just expect him to be Shakir, ” said Jones. “He’s gonna break some tackles, just as long as he knows what to do and plays fast. Just be Shakir.”
“Only pressure we have is just go out there and perform and get the ‘w’,” said Bell. “Regardless if I have 40 yards or 200 yards, as long as we get the win that’s all that matters.”
This has been quite the summer for Bell. He’s in Canada for the first time, during his first pro experience. It’s even the first time he’s ever lived outside of the state of Indiana.
“It was definitely terrifying,” said the 23-year-old rookie. “Just not being able to be around my family. I have a two year old daughter; being away from her was kind of the hardest thing for me. I Face Time her a lot.
“Just coming here, it was definitely easier transition with this team particularly because, like I said, the guys bring you in. There’s no being shy to the new guys.”
Watch the video to learn more about the personal side of Bell and his time so far in Canada.
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