Le’Veon Bell was so angry with the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2018 that he sat out an entire season, and the former running back now admits he should have handled the situation differently.
Bell fielded some questions from fans on social media over the weekend. One of the messages he received was more of a request than a question, with the fan telling Bell to “apologize for leaving the Steelers & will (sic) call it even!”
Bell responded by doing just that. He said he never should have left Pittsburgh.
“I never apologized to the fans for sitting out or leaving the Steelers. I never apologized. I want to say I apologize for leaving the best damn fans there is in this world,” Bell said. “I shouldn’t have left. I apologize. I should never have left. I apologize. That’s on me.”
Bell was one of the most dynamic offensive players in the NFL during the five seasons he played for the Steelers. He was hit with the franchise tag in 2018 and could not find common ground with Pittsburgh on a long-term extension. The Steelers typically structure big contracts with rolling guarantees and less money up front, and Bell took a hard stance.
After sitting out all of 2019, Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million contract with the New York Jets. The deal included about $27 million guaranteed up front. While Bell finally got the money he was seeking, his production completely fell off a cliff. He never again looked like the three-time Pro Bowl back that played for the Steelers.
Bell recently made another admission about the way he handled things in 2018. Perhaps some of the current star running backs who are seeking long-term deals will learn from Bell’s situation.
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