Le'Veon Bell's high school removes his name from football field after civil rape judgement, missed payments
Le'Veon Bell's name will no longer be featured on the field of his high school alma mater, for a couple of reasons.
Groveport Madison Schools announced Friday that Le’Veon Bell Field at Cruiser Stadium will become just Cruiser Stadium, per WCMH in Columbus, two days after a report surfaced that the former NFL running back was hit with a $25 million default judgement in a civil rape lawsuit filed by his cousin.
Also, the school said he never actually paid the money he said he would when the field was first named in 2017.
The school district said its contract specifically says it can be terminated in the event of a scandal with Bell, per WCMH:
The agreement, the district said in a released statement, said “any offense … involving moral turpitude shall entitle the district to terminate the contract. In light of a civil suit that found Mr. Bell liable for over $25 million for serious misconduct involving a minor, the district determined that continuing to honor the naming rights agreement was no longer appropriate or aligned with the values of Groveport Madison Schools.”
The lawsuit in question was filed against Bell and his younger brother La’Vonte in March 2024 by Jada Bell, who alleged that Le'Veon began having incestuous, non-consensual relations with her when she was 6 or 7 years old (he is eight years older than her) and continued it for a decade, per TMZ.
Bell reportedly never responded to the lawsuit, leaving the judge to enter a default judgement in October. Bell also wasn't present for a trial two weeks ago to determine the damages, with a jury landing on $25 million. La'Vonte was also found liable for $11 million.
Bell finally responded to the lawsuit after the judgement was entered, with his lawyer claiming the former Pro Bowler was never served the appropriate paperwork and that he denies all allegations. He could face an uphill battle in proving he wasn't properly informed of the allegations.
The district also said Bell made less than half of the $750,000 donation he promised to pay for the new football field. He presented a novelty check for $750,000 back in 2017 when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but allegedly hasn't made a payment since 2020:
“Per the agreement, Mr. Bell was to make payments totaling $750,000,” that district said. “While he initially made four payments of $75,000 each, totaling $300,000, his last payment was received on December 9, 2020. Despite attempts to address the delinquent payments, Mr. Bell has discontinued further payments, resulting in a breach of contract. As a result, the district has moved forward (on March 13, 2025) with removing his name from the stadium entrance, scoreboard, and field turf.”
Bell hasn't played in the NFL since 2021, when he split time with the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, he has embarked on a boxing career, holding a career record of 2-1, while teasing an NFL return that hasn't come close to fruition.
Per OverTheCap, Bell made $44.8 million in his NFL career, not counting side revenues such as endorsements.
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