Being an NFL running back means you are very much disposable, as these players tend to be adamant about signing long-term contracts with their respective teams. Le’Veon Bell took the bold step of ditching the Pittsburgh Steelers at the peak of his career in 2018 when they refused to sign him for a long time, but that decision is coming back to haunt him now. That season, the team lost woefully due to his absence and that of several other equally good players.
While Le’Veon’s absence impacted the Steelers negatively, he has never been the same himself, in fact, his career has derailed woefully over the years. He has moved between about three teams. Currently, he is a free agent and has not played since 2021. Considering Bell’s years at the Steelers, this is a drastic fall from grace, and it appears he realized that himself as he took to Twitter to apologize to Steelers fans with claims that he shouldn’t have ever left the team.
According to VladTV;
Long before contract negotiations stalled the New York Giants with Saquon Barkley, Le’Veon Bell was the NFL’s star running back who famously clashed with the team that drafted him over a contract extension. Ultimatley, the team’s three-time Pro Bowler left the Pittsburgh Steelers during the same off-season that their star wide receiver, Antonio Brown, skipped town for the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. Not only did the move break up one of the best offensive trios in football (Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le’Veon Bell), but it also caused fans to miss out on the final years of one of football’s best rivalries: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots.
Although his career as the team’s primary ball career got off to an exceptional start in Pittsburgh, his play fizzled out just two years into his contract with the New York Jets. Bell never regained his form as an All-Pro, and today he’s out of the league at the age of 31.
Bell recently took to social media to apologize to Pittsburgh Steelers fans for leaving the team in 2019. Although he didn’t mention joining the NY Jets or the Steelers’ most hated division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, later in his career, the Steelers 4th all-time leading rusher referred to the fanbase that cheered him on during the first five years of his NFL career as “the best fans in the world.”
Well, Bell’s story did not end well despite his immense talent. This may serve as advice to young players whose teams are currently following the same path. What will the action be? Demand their deserved benefit, or opt out and risk having your career destroyed? Sadly, the NFL’s CBA punishes players who outperform their contracts and that is still happening today.
Do you accept @LeVeonBell apology?🥲#steelers #leveonbell pic.twitter.com/Z4rYmR2czz
— SteelersU (@Steelers_U_) July 17, 2023
