Former Steelers star admits he screwed up by leaving Pittsburgh

Former Pittsburgh Steelers working again Le’Veon Bell admitted that, in hindsight, he ought to have signed his contract extension with the group as a substitute of holding out.

There’s all the time that second when sports activities followers surprise what might have occurred if one big-name participant remained with the group longer than their preliminary keep. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the participant followers surprise about is working again Le’Veon Bell.

Again in 2017 and 2018, the Steelers and Bell had contentious contract talks that led to the group inserting the franchise tag on him for 2 consecutive years. However after the second time he obtained the tag and contract talks went nowhere, Bell determined that he was going to take a seat out the whole 2018 season, and that’s precisely what he did.

The next offseason, he signed an enormous contract with the New York Jets, was launched halfway by means of his second season, and is now out of the NFL.

This week, Bell made an appearance on the “Steel Here Podcast,” and spoke in regards to the failed contract talks. The working again then admitted that as of now, he ought to have taken the deal the Steelers had provided him.

Le’Veon Bell admits he ought to have taken a contract supply from Steelers

“It was like just a little petty, the assure stuff . . . I’m pondering might I’ve simply ate it? Yeah, I in all probability might’ve, yeah, I in all probability might’ve actually ate it,” stated Bell, h/t Audacy.

The primary problem for Bell was that the Steelers weren’t providing him the assured cash he was on the lookout for within the deal. Here’s how he explained it:

“With the Jets, the contract factor was that they’d assured me a sure sum of money. It was like $39 million versus Pittsburgh which assured me $17 million. On the time, I had simply performed on the franchise tag and I used to be already lowkey chancing as a result of earlier than that I used to be already being instructed I used to be going to get a long-term deal. We didn’t work it out. I did play below the tag as a result of they stated they’d get me proper the subsequent yr. The ultimate supply was $13.3 million per yr and the franchise tag was like $12 million. , the annual was superb however they solely assured me the primary yr of the contract. So, I used to be principally enjoying on one other franchise tag. I get damage and you may launch me in 12 months 2. That’s how Pittsburgh does contracts.”

In the beginning of the 2019 league yr, the Jets gave Bell a four-year, $52.5 million contract to turn out to be their star working again for then-quarterback Sam Darnold to lean upon. The primary yr, Bell ran for 789 yards and three touchdowns on 245 carries, whereas catching 66-of-78 targets for 461 yards and one landing in 15 video games.

Bell would play in simply two video games in 2020 earlier than he requested a commerce from the Jets. The group in the end launched him from his contract.

For the rest of that season, Bell signed on with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, working for 254 yards and two touchdowns on 63 carries. However, he was a non-factor within the Chiefs’ run to Tremendous Bowl 55.

In 2021, Bell spent 5 video games with the Baltimore Ravens and three video games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He didn’t play within the 2022 season.

With the ability of hindsight, Bell believes that the appropriate transfer would have been to remain in Pittsburgh to proceed his profession and attempt to replicate the success he had in earlier years. However, he determined to hitch the Jets, which didn’t work out.