Le'Veon Bell

[Northern_Blitz]

He got less money to play for a non-contender. How did he get what he was looking for?

This is usually the argument for signing with the Steelers.

Usually our total contract amount is less, but players end us seeing more of it.

In this case, I think the contract we offered was more money and Bell would have almost certainly seen more of it if he didn't sit out for a year. But he went for more guarantees. Maybe he thought he was going to regress? Although that's hard to believe of a pro athlete given the amount of self-confidence it must take to make it to the NFL.

He gambled and lost.

But he's certainly made enough money over his career that it shouldn't have much of an impact if he's been even halfway decent with his finances.

[feltdizz]

This is usually the argument for signing with the Steelers.

Usually our total contract amount is less, but players end us seeing more of it.

In this case, I think the contract we offered was more money and Bell would have almost certainly seen more of it if he didn't sit out for a year. But he went for more guarantees. Maybe he thought he was going to regress? Although that's hard to believe of a pro athlete given the amount of self-confidence it must take to make it to the NFL.

He gambled and lost.

But he's certainly made enough money over his career that it shouldn't have much of an impact if he's been even halfway decent with his finances.

i think the fear was playing on another tag and getting hurt. Let’s remember he wasn’t able to test the market when he was tagged. Had to be frustrating not knowing if he could get a serious offer with more guaranteed money to use as leverage.

and maybe he lost but it’s not like he is being forced to retire or went crazy like AB.

[Ernie]

Hell is loving it as well. He got 27 mill for about 18 games and is free from Gase.

Yea.. getting paid to stay at home.. the ultimate gig.. reserved only for "Elite".. "Generational" talent.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Cracks me up when people think players shouldn’t be smiling and laughing with rivals after the game ends. It’s a job. Not war.

Players want to win but winning in life is the best win of all.

I think most players want to win. Many players were former teammates in college, have the same agent, become friends off the field, train together in the offseason, ect.

Some Steelers players probably remain friends with Bell. I don't believe that Bell was the cancer that some believe. Players learn very quickly that they shouldn't take another man's business decisions personally.

It's rumored that Gase never wanted Bell. As a result, maybe Gase didn't use Bell to the maximum of Bells skill set?

Bell is still going to receive a substantial amont of money from the Jets this year. Another team could probably sign him on a one year minimum contract. I still believe Bell can play.

[whisper]

I think most players want to win. Many players were former teammates in college, have the same agent, become friends off the field, train together in the offseason, ect.

Some Steelers players probably remain friends with Bell. I don't believe that Bell was the cancer that some believe. Players learn very quickly that they shouldn't take another man's business decisions personally.

It's rumored that Gase never wanted Bell. As a result, maybe Gase didn't use Bell to the maximum of Bells skill set?

Bell is still going to receive a substantial amont of money from the Jets this year. Another team could probably sign him on a one year minimum contract. I still believe Bell can play.

According to sports shows, Bell kept tweeting negative crap about the Jets and just kept doing it. That sounds pretty negative. He's a douchebag, let's be honest about it.

[Buzz]

According to sports shows, Bell kept tweeting negative crap about the Jets and just kept doing it. That sounds pretty negative. He's a douchebag, let's be honest about it.

Teams might put up with that kind of garbage when his skills were elite. Not so much when they're on the decline.

[feltdizz]

I think most players want to win. Many players were former teammates in college, have the same agent, become friends off the field, train together in the offseason, ect.

Some Steelers players probably remain friends with Bell. I don't believe that Bell was the cancer that some believe. Players learn very quickly that they shouldn't take another man's business decisions personally.

It's rumored that Gase never wanted Bell. As a result, maybe Gase didn't use Bell to the maximum of Bells skill set?

Bell is still going to receive a substantial amont of money from the Jets this year. Another team could probably sign him on a one year minimum contract. I still believe Bell can play.

some coaches in the NFL just plain old stubborn. O’Brian ran off Hopkins and was fired after an 0-4 start.

Gase is 0-5 and ran off Adam’s and didn’t use Bell in the passing game which is odd when you have a terrible OL and a QB admit to seeing ghost.

then you have Rivera in DC who demoted Haskins to 3rd string behind Alex Smith who has one leg and is playing Kyle Allen... and has an OC who has NEVER been an OC before.

it’s like these coaches want to lose.

you also had Herbert on the bench behind Tyrod Taylor and only by a doctors mistake are you seeing Herbert play. Same thing with the coach in Cleveland who played Tyrod instead of Baker.

I also think Bell can play but sheesh.. sure seems weird to be so stubborn you risk losing your gig because you didn’t want a player who could help you win if you used him more.

[Northern_Blitz]

i think the fear was playing on another tag and getting hurt. Let’s remember he wasn’t able to test the market when he was tagged. Had to be frustrating not knowing if he could get a serious offer with more guaranteed money to use as leverage.

and maybe he lost but it’s not like he is being forced to retire or went crazy like AB.

I agree and don't think it's a moral failing to have wanted to see what his market value was.

But he certainly seems to have lost this bet (assuming that he doesn't have another big contract / signing bonus coming)

[feltdizz]

According to sports shows, Bell kept tweeting negative crap about the Jets and just kept doing it. That sounds pretty negative. He's a douchebag, let's be honest about it.

meh... didn’t they say there were rumors they tried to trade Bell? Didn’t Gase sign old ass Frank Gore? No disrespect to Gore, dude is a HOFer but he’s also old as hell and he wasn’t brought in to make the team better. That was Gase doing what he seems to have a reputation for and that’s pissing off good players.

[feltdizz]

I agree and don't think it's a moral failing to have wanted to see what his market value was.

But he certainly seems to have lost this bet (assuming that he doesn't have another big contract / signing bonus coming)

He’s 28. I don’t think his skills declined that much. He will get another shot. There are a few teams who could use his services. Chicago comes to mind. San Fran as well.

[hawaiiansteel]

Mark Madden: Le’Veon Bell has no one to blame but himself for career missteps

MARK MADDEN | Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Several fallacies are being spoken about the shattered career of Le’Veon Bell.

One is that Bell somehow struck a blow for his profession’s laborers when he sat out the 2018 season after being franchised for a second time, thus forcing his way out of Pittsburgh and removing himself from under the thumb of the Steelers organization, which (gasp) wanted him to touch the ball a lot as per his job description.

The Steelers offered Bell $47 million over three years, with an admittedly minuscule $10 million guaranteed. Bell signed with the New York Jets for $52 million over four years, with $27 million guaranteed. That’s not much difference, especially since the Jets cut Bell Tuesday. Bell also missed out on $14.5 million by skipping 2018.

When you go on strike, you’re supposed to make gains. Gains made by Bell were primarily via PR spin, not reality. Jimmy Hoffa wouldn’t be impressed. His payday duly noted, Bell chose perhaps the NFL’s worst work environment.

Another fallacy is that others are to blame for Bell’s failures, whether it’s Jets coach Adam Gase, the Jets organization in general, Bell’s agent Adisa Bakari and, of course, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who (the story goes) ran Bell and Antonio Brown out of town.

Roethlisberger didn’t. If he had, he’d own it. He might even have T-shirts printed: “I ran the Toxic Twins out of Pittsburgh.” Heck, I’d buy one.

Bell may be incredibly immature and stupid, but he’s a grown man. He makes his own decisions. Anything bad that’s happened is on him.

If you want to tack on another fallacy, it’s the notion that the Steelers should recycle Bell. But don’t bother, because that has zero chance of happening (and shouldn’t).

The Steelers are 4-0 and, despite lesser weapons, are all pulling the same rope. Signing Bell would be like tossing a covid bomb in the middle of the locker room.

That brings us to the “I told you so” portion of today’s missive.

When Bell and Brown rose to prominence with the Steelers, I tagged them the “Toxic Twins” and predicted the Steelers would not win with two me-first idiots fouling the nest.

So it was said. So it came to pass. #SaveUs166

Bell and Brown may have helped some of you achieve fantasy-league Valhalla, but their occasional big plays and gaudy stats were undone by their egos and the distractions they created. The Steelers never made it to a Super Bowl with the Toxic Twins in significant roles, and it certainly wasn’t because the Steelers weren’t good enough.

Coach Mike Tomlin did an amazing job coaxing what he did out of those two jerks. Consider what’s happened since.

It amazes me that Bell and Brown still have local supporters, including among the media.

I see that Bell did right to railroad his way out of Pittsburgh because the Steelers were going to give him too many touches and break down Bell’s body before he could reach free agency. When Bell was a kid fantasizing about making the NFL, perhaps his dreams had a disclaimer: “Gee, I sure hope they don’t make me carry the ball too much and ruin my free agency.”

Bell’s year off did him no good, anyway.

Bell averaged 5.2 yards per touch and 129 yards from scrimmage per game during his five years in Pittsburgh. That latter stat was the highest in NFL history.

But after joining the Jets, Bell averaged 4.1 yards per touch, the league’s second-worst figure during that span. If the Jets misused Bell, remember: They were terrible before Bell arrived, and he still chose to sign there.

Bell has earned $44 million, and that should be enough to last his entire life. (I bet it doesn’t.) But he’s currently unemployed, has left a lot on the table, and his next contract won’t be for crazy money. (If Bell gets another contract. Brown still hasn’t.)

Bell also capsized a likely Pro Football Hall of Fame career. But I doubt he cares about that.

Bell doesn’t love football. Maybe he did at one time, but no more. He sees football as a means to an end. As a money spigot to finance his other ventures, like his rise to fame via mumble rap. But the minute Bell is done with the NFL for good, no one will ever want to hear him rap again. (I’m no rap connoisseur, but Bell is comically bad.)

Bell is a good football player. Well, he was.

But barring a colossal attitude adjustment that seems mentally and emotionally beyond Bell, he’s likely to be remembered as a flash in the pan. A millionaire failure is still a failure.

https://triblive.com/sports/mark-madden-leveon-bell-has-no-one-to-blame-but-himself-for-career-missteps/

[whisper]

He’s 28. I don’t think his skills declined that much. He will get another shot. There are a few teams who could use his services. Chicago comes to mind. San Fran as well.

Pats, Seattle, some others. I don't think it's his skill that's being questioned as much as his attitude.

[Disco1981]

Pats, Seattle, some others. I don't think it's his skill that's being questioned as much as his attitude.

What? His skills have eroded exponentially! He's slow as molasses, His Hammys are shot...WTH games are you watching!

[Starlifter]

So when bell sat out the year, many were saying he was trying to reset the market for running backs. I personally don’t think he ever gave one thought to anyone but himself - but after this jets fiasco and the 27 million guaranteed, is it fair to say he’s torpedoed the RB market? Are teams going to be chomping at the bit to give high salaries with guaranteed cash to RB’s? Perhaps the dumb ones.

Like the jets

[Buzz]

But barring a colossal attitude adjustment that seems mentally and emotionally beyond Bell, he’s likely to be remembered as a flash in the pan. A millionaire failure is still a failure.

A "failure" who is set for life financially. I'd say the latter takes more than a little sting out of the former.