Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back Le’Veon Bell has been the best running back in football the past two seasons. However, a widely publicized failure to reach a contract with the Steelers in 2018 turned into missing the entire preseason for the second straight year. Many believed he would report and sign his tender by the roster deadline. But Bell did not show up. Most figured he’d at the very least show up for practice on Labor Day, the first practice of the week leading up to the team’s 2018 debut against the Cleveland Browns. But once again many were wrong, as Bell was nowhere to be seen on the practice field Monday.
Fact is when Bell turned down a reported contract somewhere in the vicinity of $14 million per year, Steelers’ fans were upset. Like it or not playing in Pittsburgh is different than some other places in the NFL. The team has some of the most hardcore fans in the league. They love their team, and prove it by treating players like near superheroes, as well as literally following the team to every away game in mass. The city has seen plenty of players, such as Hines Ward, connect with them to the point that salary almost became secondary to continuing to be a part of it all.
So when you play for the Steelers and don’t show up for two straight preseasons, as Bell has done, not to mention turn down a big contract to play with the team, it will hurt your status in this football-first city. And that’s fair. They take football personally, which is what makes them such outstanding fans in the first place.
But players tend to view contract negotiations differently. They understand that football is a business for them, and that the money they make connects to their future livelihood, as well as that of their families. Holding out is an understood part of some negotiations.
However, this is the second year in a row where Bell has missed the preseason. Though it was clear that last season’s holdout caused some rust- he only averaged 3.46 yards per carry during the first three games after missing camp- the team survived, and teammates have shown support for him during the current holdout.
That said, we have no reason to believe that the current holdout won’t impact Bell’s play during the initial stages of this season, which hurts the team and therefore his teammates. But what seems even more of a slap in the face this time is that Bell didn’t even show up to the first practice this week in getting ready for the Browns.
To not practice with the team during the week leading up to their first game…..Well, there’s really no way someone can argue that’s going to help the team compete. In the end, this is too much. Bell is now clearly hurting the Steelers, as not standing with his teammates during the whole of game week is just plain disappointing. We’re talking real game preparation here now.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert summed up the situation well in a Monday morning statement. “We are disappointed Le’Veon Bell has not signed his franchise tender and rejoined his teammates. Coach [Mike] Tomlin and the coaching staff will continue to focus on preparing the players on our roster for our regular season opener on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.”
Bell is a fantastic football player. But when you refrain from joining your team with really no clear reason to do so, one has to wonder how that will play out for him on the free agent market next season.
At this point, no one would blame the Steelers for turning near completely toward James Conner during the early stages of the 2018 season. Conner has been there for the team, and Bell simply has not been.
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