Pittsburgh Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell was one of the best backs of his era during his stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bell was a three-time All-Pro during his five seasons with the Steelers and ran for 5,336 yards and 35 touchdowns while adding another 312 receptions and 2,660 yards through the air. On his All Things Covered podcast, former Pittsburgh Steelers CB Bryant McFadden said that Bell changed the running back position as we know it with his running style and ability as a receiver out of the backfield.
“He was one of the best running backs to do it. Running the football, catching the football. He changed the running back position to something we’ve never seen before with his patient running style and something we’ve never seen before to this date,” McFadden said.
His co-host on the podcast and his cousin, Patrick Peterson, said Bell was “special” because teams would know what the Steelers were doing but couldn’t stop it due to Bell’s ability to find the hole.
“Le’Veon Bell was definitely a special running back. And also, I feel like he fit you guys’ system so well because late in the year, we knew what you guys was doing, we knew you guys were gonna be running the ball downfield, and we knew Le’Veon was gonna find the open gap or the seam to help break them free.”
Bell also had the benefit of playing behind a talented offensive line for the majority of his career, with Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, and Marcus Gilbert, a group that comprised an offensive line that excelled for the Steelers for years. But Bell’s patience is something that wasn’t seen before him and, frankly, hasn’t really been seen since. He would wait for the hole to open before exploding through it, and it led to him picking up chunk yards and becoming one of the best backs in the NFL.
On top of that, Bell was elite as a receiver out of the backfield, as he had three seasons with over 70 receptions, totaling 85 receptions in 2017, 83 receptions in 2014, and 75 receptions in 2016. He was a true three-down back, and his career numbers likely would’ve looked a lot better had he not been so injury-prone. His 2015 and 2016 seasons were both cut short due to injury. He also missed time at the start of his rookie season in 2013 due to an injury.
Le’Veon Bell sat out 2018 in a contract dispute and signed with the New York Jets ahead of the 2019 season, but his career was never the same as it was in Pittsburgh. Former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert wishes Bell never left Pittsburgh, and he could’ve potentially carved out a Hall of Fame career if he stayed in Pittsburgh. It didn’t work out that way, though, and while Bell wants to return to the Steelers, his NFL career is more than likely over as he ventures into a new pursuit in boxing.
