Le'Veon Bell is still holding out for a new contract with the Steelers, and made time to troll the team after Pittsburgh could only manage to tie Cleveland without him.
- Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell is still holding out for a new contract.
- On Saturday, Bell officially took his holdout into the regular season, failing to report before the deadline and thus missing out on a $853,000 game check.
- After the Steelers opened their season with a tie against the Cleveland Browns, Bell trolled the team with a tweet.
Le'Veon Bell's holdout is still going strong.
Bell officially took his holdout into the regular season on Saturday — after failing to report with the team before the 4 p.m. deadline, Bell missed out on his $853,000 game check and sent a signal he was serious about taking his holdout well into the year. With his absence, Bell once again raised the stakes of his holdout that was already becoming somewhat tense.
On Sunday, football fans got their first look at the Steelers without Bell, with sophomore running back James Conner taking the leading role for Pittsburgh in their road game against the Cleveland Browns.
While Conner looked solid, the Steelers fell flat, giving up 14 points in the fourth quarter to allow the Browns to force overtime in an ugly game that ended in a bizarre 21-21 tie.
After the game, Bell sent out a not-so-subtle subtweet aimed at the Steelers.
While Bell certainly could have made a difference against the Browns, especially in the fourth quarter when just a few sustained drives could have ensured a win for the Steelers, the Pittsburgh rushing attack didn't look totally lost without him.
Conner played extremely well, rushing for 135 yards and two touchdowns behind the Steelers offensive line. Still, Bell's dominance was missed, and his tweet quickly caught the attention of eagle-eyed football fans following the situation.
It's still unclear how long Bell plans to continue his holdout — his agent Adisa Bakari has said he plans to protect his long-term future by not racking up touches and miles on his legs before he hits free agency next offseason.
Bell's tweet feels like a signal that he believes he has the leverage in the situation, and with the Steelers season now off to a less-than-stellar start, Pittsburgh might be inclined to work out a deal with their stud running back. If not, Bell's holdout could last a while — as long as he doesn't mind missing out on those game checks — and then Bell could enter free agency in the 2019 offseason to find a deal he believes compensates him fairly.
The Steelers have seven days to prepare for their game against Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2. As things stand, it's unlikely their game plan will include Bell in the lineup.