Dean Bell, also known by the nicknames of "Mean Dean", and "Deano", is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer, and coach. A New Zealand international representative centre, he played his club football in England, Australia and New Zealand, but most notably with Wigan, with whom he won 7 consecutive Challenge Cup Finals, a Lance Todd Trophy, and a Man of Steel Award. He later coached English club Leeds for two seasons. He is a member of the famous Bell rugby league family that includes George, Ian, Cameron, Glenn, Cathy Bell and Clayton Friend.

Bell began his career in 1979 playing for the Manukau Magpies in the Auckland Rugby League competition. Bell then moved to England in August 1982, playing for Carlisle and Leeds over the next two seasons. At the end of the 1983/84 season he joined Eastern Suburbs in Australia, playing 42 games for them over the next three seasons. In 1987 Bell was a guest player for the South Island in a match against Auckland.

In 1986 he joined Wigan, where he was to experience his greatest success. While at Wigan, Bell became a Seven-time Challenge Cup winner (including three as captain), a Six-time Championship winner, a One-time World Sevens winner, a Five-time John Player Trophy winner, a Two-time Premiership winner and a Four-time Lancashire Cup winner. During the 1992–93 Rugby Football League season Bell played at centre for defending RFL champions Wigan in the 1992 World Club Challenge against the visiting Brisbane Broncos.

Bell also won the Man of Steel Award in 1992 and the Lance Todd Trophy in 1993. Bell was later inducted into the Wigan Warriors Hall of Fame.

In 1994 Bell left Wigan, returning home to join coach John Monie at the new Auckland Warriors club. Bell became the club's first ever captain. During his career he captained Wigan, the Auckland Warriors, and the New Zealand national team. He led the team out of the tunnel at Ericsson Stadium for their unforgettable debut against Brisbane Broncos in one of New Zealand sport’s most iconic moments and captained the club in 19 of its 22 first-season matches.

While playing in the Auckland Rugby League comp, Bell League competition Bell made the Auckland side. In 1982, he played for Cumbria against Australia during the 1982 Kangaroo tour. A year later, he toured England with the New Zealand Maori team before making his debut for New Zealand that same year. In his début match he played alongside his uncle Ian Bell, and his cousin Clayton Friend. He went on to play 26 tests for New Zealand, retiring from international football early in 1989.

Bell picked up several honours while playing for New Zealand, including being the NZRL Player of the Year in 1987 and winning the NZ Maori Sports Personality of the Year in 1994. He was later made a member of the NZRL's Immortals and inducted as one of the NZRL's Legends of League in 2000. He is an Auckland Rugby League Immortal.

Bell returned to Leeds in 1996 as coach but ended up playing in one match as player-coach. He remained the first grade coach in 1997 before accepting a two-year job as the head of the academy team. During the 2000 World Cup he was the assistant Coach of the Aotearoa Maori side, working under his father Cameron Bell. In 2000 he returned to Wigan to head the youth development programme for seven years before being appointed the New Zealand Warriors Development Manager in August 2007. In 2008 Bell was made the New Zealand national rugby league team football manager. In 2012 Bell was made the New Zealand Vodafone Warriors General Manager Of Football.