It's been more than seven years since Le'Veon Bell was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of the most electric running backs in team history, the Steelers haven't found a player of his caliber since his departure. One thing the organization doesn't miss, however, is Bell's propensity to stick his foot in his mouth.
The former Steelers RB has a habit of sharing his unfiltered thoughts with the world on social media and in interviews. Bell went viral again recently due to his comments about Justin Fields on his X account. Recently, a video of Fields throwing and working out was released by the account RouteGod on X. After seeing the highlights, Bell was unimpressed and shared that opinion online.
"That ball is getting there lateeeeeeeeee," he said. "I know it's routes on the air, but is telling you a lot."
In response, the original account that posted the video retorted Bell's claims and provided some context for what they worked on during their session.
"The balls aint late," RouteGod responded. "His QB trainer was there and they was working progressions. He a great Q and everything was on the money."
Still, Bell's words are just the latest discouraging take about Justin Fields. Team insider Ray Fittipaldo also gave a middling report of Fields' performance at minicamp, and Bell's comments double down on Fittipaldo's chief complaint.
The biggest issue with Fields is his ball placement. His accuracy when passing is frequently criticized, dating back to his college days, and that criticism still lingers in Pittsburgh. From multiple sources at minicamp, it's one of the areas where Fields must improve if he wants to wrestle the starting job away from Russell Wilson.
Thankfully for Fields, he has plenty of time to make his mark in Pittsburgh. The Steelers will likely start Wilson in week one of the season, leaving Fields to learn and improve behind one of the league's best QBs.
And Fields has the tools to do that. He is one of the most athletic QBs in the league, has a cannon for an arm, and possesses an uncanny ability to extend plays with his legs. If he makes strides with his accuracy and settles into the pocket, the Steelers will be confident they have their starting QB for 2025 and beyond.
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