NFL, NFLPA Discuss Le’Veon Bell Settlement

Tom Brady‘s suspension appeal is getting all the headlines, but the Patriots’ Week 1 opponents – the Steelers – will also be without a key player whose suspension was though to be appealed. Explaining why there haven’t been any recent updates on Le’Veon Bell‘s case, Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that the NFL, NFLPA, and Bell’s reps have been in frequent contract and a formal appeal hearing may not be required.

The Steelers running back, who would argue that he’s being punished twice for the same incident, tells Breer that he’s hoping for the penalty to be reduced, not wiped out entirely (Twitter links). And according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, that remains a possibility — Graziano tweets that the two sides are negotiating a settlement that could reduce the suspension to one or two games.

Bell’s three-game suspension came as a result of his arrest for marijuana possession and driving under the influence. Both charges came as a result of the same incident, and it appears the suspension considers them separate offenses, with the running back getting two games for the DUI and one game for the marijuana possession.

As is the case with Brady’s appeal, I’d expect the NFL to announce something on Bell soon, since the league likely won’t want to have the situation drag out too far into training camp.

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