HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 25: Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell (26) is interviewed by the NFL Network following the football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans on December 25, 2017 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Le’Veon Bell is done playing with the Steelers but he can’t seem to stop talking about them. It’s time for Bell to turn his focus to the Jets.
The soap opera relationship between Le’Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers has to end eventually. Despite the fact that the dynamic running back is now a member of the New York Jets, he still can’t seem to stop talking about his old franchise.
Bell’s latest comments about the Steelers include the accusation that the franchise doesn’t treat players like they’re “human.” Instead, he believes Pittsburgh’s front office views their players more like robots who can be discarded on a whim. Even if Bell has a point, it’s time for him to stop talking about the past.
Instead, he should focus on his new team. He’s a massive part of the Jets’ plan to upgrade the offensive weapons around Sam Darnold. The second-year pro showed flashes of brilliance during his rookie season, but he’s got a long way to go before he comes anything close to Ben Roethlisberger. There’s a ton of pressure on Bell to help his new quarterback reach the same heights his old one achieved.
The fact that Bell didn’t play a single snap during the 2018 season also heightens his need to stay focused on football at the moment. On one hand, that saved him a significant amount of wear and tear on his body. The downside to taking a year off is that he’s lost the timing and feel for the game which made him such a dynamic weapon during his days in Pittsburgh.
It may not fit Bell’s personality to stay quiet and put his nose to the grind stone, but that’s what his career needs at the moment. Fans are understandably tired of hearing about his off the field exploits. Continuing to take shots at the Steelers in the media will only turn public opinion more against him. That’s not good for a player who wants to maximize his commercial opportunities.
The simple truth is that there is zero upside to Bell criticizing the Steelers at this point. He can’t change any of his history with the organization and no one left in Pittsburgh is going to change their future behavior based on his words. It’s a waste of time for a player who has a lot of work to do before he’s ready to play football in 2019.