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The Le’Veon Bell situation going on with the Pittsburgh Steelers is well-known.
Bell wants a lot of money guaranteed in a long-term contract. Pittsburgh isn’t willing to give it to him. So, the former Michigan State RB is seeing Pittsburgh as a team that may just want to be using him before he leaves.
At the moment, it seems as though Bell is not reporting to Pittsburgh anytime soon. And according to a rule, he can wait to show up in Pittsburgh until Week 11, then sign his franchise tag then, and get to become a free agent in 2019.
With this information known, players in Pittsburgh are looking at Bell as though he is all about himself right now and not about the team. If he were all-in on the team and winning a Super Bowl, he would report to the team and sign his franchise tag.
Of course, he hasn’t yet.
Here’s what some Steelers are saying on social media:
“In the ultimate team sport, we’ve created a league of individuals.” – Steelers OL Roman Foster
— Sam McKewon (@swmckewonOWH) September 6, 2018
Steelers teammates not happy with Le’Veon Bell no show, led by vet G Ramon Foster, their player rep:
“What do you do? here’s a guy who doesn’t give a damn, I guess so we’ll treatit as such. I just hate it came to this. “— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) September 5, 2018
DeCastro on Bell — "Just sit out the whole year then."
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 5, 2018
Ben Roethlisberger said today his offensive line is more important than @LeVeonBell. Then he added they're more important than "any skill player, including myself."
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) September 5, 2018
Maurkice Pouncey is clearly DONE w/ Le’Veon Bell’s absence. Says he’d much prefer Bell just say when he’s going to show up, even if it’s Week 10: “Why play hide and seek? Why let your agent say this? Just man up and tell us what you’re going to do.”
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) September 5, 2018
Center Maurkice Pouncey said, “If you don’t want to be here, it is what it is. Hold out 10 weeks.”
Bell’s offensive linemen in front of him are obviously not happy.
Just like all of the fantasy football players out there who have the former Spartan on their team. The number of people complaining about Bell potentially being out until Week 11 has to be in the thousands.
https://twitter.com/DavidSpade/status/1036766919108378624
100% think @LeVeonBell should get paid. Also 100% think it’s impossible for LeVeon to have his best season to date if he’s not on the team. So, um, LeVeon will you please play this week? You promised. 🙏 https://t.co/Y5UpIzGfnS
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) September 5, 2018
Hey thanks @LeVeonBell now I I know never to take you with the first pick in the fantasy draft EVER again because you wanna be a selfish little girl that’s crying about not making much money when in reality you make more than most people… HURRY UP AND GET ON THE FIELD PLEASE
— Nik (@508Nik) September 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/j__spence/status/1037448441457192960
Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.