So the Steelers better win the Super Bowl in 2018 while they still have Le’Veon Bell, right?
Looking at it another way, maybe the Steelers have to wait another year before they have a legitimate shot at going from championship contenders to actual champions.
Bell will almost certainly play his final year for the Steelers after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract. Assuming he doesn’t hold out into the regular season, he’ll play for $14.5 under the franchise tag.
Statement from GM Kevin Colbert on Le’Veon Bell: pic.twitter.com/APTMajqdbF
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) July 16, 2018
Now the Steelers might still be a perennial .500 ballclub without Bell. They were 8-8 in 2012 and 2013, his rookie year. They’ve made the playoffs every year since, and Bell has been a big part of that. His 91.3 rushing yards per game since 2014 are more than any running back, according to Pro Football Reference, as are his 267 receptions during that span.
However, Bell’s inability to stay out of the trainer’s room and off social media has been part of the reason why the Steelers can’t get to the Super Bowl.
In 2014, Bell injured his knee in the final regular-season game and missed the Steelers’ wild-card game, which they lost 30-17 to the Ravens.
In 2015, Bell missed the last eight games of the regular season and the playoffs after Vontaze Burfict tore up his knee. The Steelers lost 23-16 at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs. They also were without Antonio Brown in that game.
In 2016, Bell set franchise postseason rushing records in two straight games. He ran for 167 yards in a 30-12 wild-card win over the Dolphins and 170 yards in an 18-16 divisional-round win over the Chiefs. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Bell joined Franco Harris, Marcus Allen and Terrell Davis as the only running backs to run for a combined 300 yards in back-to-back playoff games. Ben Roethlisberger told Bell before the playoffs that year that he could carry the Steelers to the Super Bowl.
Except that he didn’t.
Bell injured his groin in the AFC title game at New England, and ran the ball six times for 20 yards. The Steelers lost 36-17.
In 2017, Bell managed to stay healthy for a change. But he didn’t manage to put down his phone after the Patriots punched their ticket to the AFC championship game the night before the Steelers hosted the Jaguars in a divisional-round game.
I love round 2’s…we’ll have two round 2’s in back to back weeks…
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) January 14, 2018
Not only did Bell provide the Jaguars with bulletin-board material, he also missed all but five minutes of the Steelers’ walkthrough the day before the game, according to the Post-Gazette. Bell ran for 67 yards and a touchdown and caught nine passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, but he did lose four yards on a fourth-and-1 with the Jags leading 14-0 early in the game, and the Steelers eventually lost 45-42.
That off-field silliness, as well as Bell’s substance-related suspensions in 2015 and 2016, didn’t help his bargaining power.
The Steelers’ five-year, $70 million offer wasn’t good enough for Bell. He wanted something closer to $17 million per season. That’s more than twice the average salary of Devonta Freeman, the next-highest paid running back in the NFL.
Bell will get what he wants in 2019. Before that, he’ll be paid $14.5 million to try to help the Steelers win Super Bowl LIII, and let’s just say that happens. The Steelers would further cement their legacy as one of the greatest franchises in any sport by winning their seventh Lombardi Trophy, two more than any other team.
But history doesn’t seem to matter much to Bell. He seems to want that mega-contract more than a ring. He raps about money. He raps about his public image. Does he rap about championships?
And let’s just say a fairy tale comes true and the Steelers win the Super Bowl AND re-sign Bell to a long-term contract. Will Bell still be the same player after he gets his money? Will he still be hungry? The Steelers don’t like to be one-hit wonders when it comes to winning titles. Bell, on the other hand, needs just one big contract to be set for life. Is he as greedy about winning as he is about money?
to all my Steeler fans, my desire always has been to retire a Steeler…both sides worked extremely hard today to make that happen, but the NFL is a hard business at times…to the fans that had hope, I’m sorry we let youu down but trust me, 2018 will be my best season to date…
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 16, 2018
Bell vows that 2018 will be his best season to date because he wants to get paid. Knowing that they have just one more year of his services, the Steelers might as well just run Bell into the ground. Then with another year of wear and tear on what will be a 27-year-old body and his financial desires finally fulfilled, it wouldn’t be surprising if 2018 was Bell’s best season in that he doesn’t match it for the rest of his career.
The Steelers have the groundwork for a committee philosophy at running back similar to that of the Eagles and Patriots, last year’s Super Bowl participants.
For those not following SteelCityInsider thru spring, here’s young RB report: James Conner in great shape w improved pass pro; Jaylen Samuels outstanding hands & rec. skills; Jarvion Franklin solid development prospect w quest. hands.
— James C Wexell (@jimwexell) July 17, 2018
James Conner was drafted in the third round in 2017. Jaylen Samuels, an H-back type, was drafted in the fifth round this year. Jarvion Franklin, also a rookie, is an undrafted free agent.
Three running backs combined might cost less than Bell, and if one of them goes down, the Steelers’ championship hopes won’t go down with him like they did with Bell in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Who knows if any or all of the three aforementioned running backs can help the Steelers win a championship. All we know is that so far, Bell hasn’t.
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