Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Le\’Veon Bell wasn\’t able to make his NFL debut Saturday night in the preseason opener against the New York Giants and head coach Mike Tomlin explained his decision to sit the second-round draft pick during his press conference following the loss.
“Going into the game, it was my decision not to play Le\’Veon Bell,” said Tomlin. “He worked in a limited capacity late last week. I watched him in our practice in our preparation for this game Friday morning and I didn\’t see enough for me to feel comfortable enough for him to start his career in less than ideal circumstances from a health standpoint. He\’ll be back on the field the next day we practice and hopefully be ready to go next week. I know he\’ll be chomping at the bit to participate.”
Bell reportedly dinged one of his knees during the Friday night practice over a week ago, but it appears as though Tomlin just decided to err on the side of caution with him. If things go well this upcoming week, Bell should be in the lineup for the second preseason game a week from Monday against the Washington Redskins.
