Former Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Le’Veon Bell was on his way to superstardom. That is until he and the Steelers couldn’t agree on a long-term extension following the 2017 season.
The Steelers placed the franchise tag on the star back, but he never signed it, and decided to sit out the entire 2018 season. After four failed stints with four different teams beginning in 2019, the former Michigan State star is longer in the NFL.
Let Bell tell it now, it was a huge mistake and one he regrets. The former three-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection recently opened up on how things ended in the Steel City, and he was extremely apologetic.
Bell Takes To Snapchat To Issue Apology
Now five years later, and still only 31 years old, the multitalented Bell is out of football. All of this probably could’ve been avoided had he signed the tender with the Steelers in 2018. But that’s in the rearview mirror now, and Bell recently issued an apology for how he handled things in a video via Snapchat.
That first of all shows maturity on Bell’s behalf, but as a Steelers fan and player you have to wonder if he re-signs does it keep Antonio Brown in check for a few more seasons. There’s a lot of what ifs for a team that had a championship roster fall apart in two seasons with Bell and Brown’s antics.
Bell did get the money he was seeking with the Jets in 2019, a four-year, $52.5 million deal with $27 million guaranteed. But he was done in New York after just two seasons.
Will Bell’s Admission Be A Warning To RBs Looking For A Big Payday From Current Teams?
In an era where the running back position is completely devalued, you have guys like Las Vegas Raiders star Josh Jacobs who led the league in rushing yards in 2022 with 1,653 and 12 touchdowns. Jacobs also had 93 rushing first downs, the most in the league and 28 more than second-place Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.
Just like New York Giants star Saquon Barkley, Jacobs has not signed his franchise tender and as of Monday’s deadline, they’re no longer eligible for a new deal until after the 2023 season.
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler is also being squeezed by the news running back value assessments. His contract had $1.75 million in incentives added after the dual threat requested a trade, and he’s still only making $6.25 million in base salary. This is a guy who over the past two seasons has amassed 1,500-plus scrimmage yards in each season and 38 total paydirt touches.
Something needs to be done about the running back position being devalued. Will Jacobs or Barkley be the ones to do it? Bell learned his lesson the hard way.
