Recently, Le’Veon Bell has intimated that he could retire or potential sit out the 2018 season if he doesn’t get a multi-year extension to his liking. In an Instagram live video on Wednesday, Bell indicated that neither scenario is really in play. 
“Honestly, no, I’m not going to sit out. I’m going to be in the facility Week 1,” Bell said (via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). “It’s going to be a rerun of last year. I’m not going to [training] camp. I’m not doing nothing else extra, OTAs, none of that. … I’m going to strictly go to what I have to go to. I want to win every game. I want to have the best statistical career that I possibly can, so I want to play in every game that I can possibly play.”
Earlier in week, Bell indicated in an interview with Billboard.com that he might consider sitting out until Week 10 of the season. If Bell were to sit out beyond that point, he would not accrue the necessary year in order to reach free agency in 2019. However, his latest comments are a sign that he is fully intent on playing, despite past threats.
Without threats of retirement or a holdout that extends into the regular season, Bell doesn’t have a ton of leverage. The Steelers want to see Bell in training camp, particularly in light of his early season struggles when he held out in 2017, but that probably won’t give Bell enough juice to move the needle.
For now, the Steelers have Bell under a placeholder on Bell for 2018 at a cost of $14.544MM. The Steelers have the option of rescinding the tag late in the offseason if Bell stalls, which would leave him without a feasible market once most of the league’s cap room is dried up.
…cuz he a b…i….t….c…..h that’s all bark and no bite. Go ahead, retire you dipshiiiiit.
I’m gonna do the absolute minimum that I have to. And you wonder why they don’t want to over pay you.
That’s in protest of getting tagged instead of getting the extension he deserves. You can’t blame him for playing out his hand in a league that could give him a career ending injury at 26 and cut him without another dime.
Except the Steelers don’t operate that way. Shazier suffered a career ending injury and the Steelers could save $8.8 million if they cut him (per Over The Cap). Except they’re paying him. Bell is getting horrible advice and is never getting his long-term deal now.
They don’t want to pay him (long term) because they don’t have to and there’s nothing he can do about it. At least as long as the franchise tag is in play. If he was a true free agent you better believe they’d be ponying up.
They literally won’t pay him for everything he does on the field. Look up Ravens receiver stats last year compared to Bell’s receiving stats. Bell performs like a WR2 and a top 5 RB1. His absolute minimum is worth much more than most players absolute maximum. People who complain about him wanting to change the RB market are delirious, he is going to help a historically underpaid position get their due. LeGarrette Blount has never made more than a $2m base salary in his career. Mike Glennon was making $18 mill and you guys are mad at LeVeon for wanting to be paid accordingly?
I do not see team anywhere in the statement but I. Get this drama over and pay him or get rid of the guy. Great player but he is not the whole team.
See you in week one then. Best be in shape to play or you go on the PUP list and don’t get paid.
“Im just here so i dont get fined”
Everyone knew it was an empty threat
He won’t resign ever with this team. Treated like trash, ppl understand this isn’t other sports, majority of any contract isn’t guaranteed unless your healthy and produce. Pitt is screwing themselves long term
Has the NFL ever cared about their employees current or past?
Use you and dump you that’s the culture created