While it might take a while for the league to get around to handing down discipline to Pittsburgh Steelers running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount following them both being caught in possession of marijuana during a traffic stop last Wednesday in Ross Township, the team can still take it upon themselves to handle it internally in the meantime.
According to a Monday report by Scott Brown of ESPN.com, head coach Mike Tomlin stated that a team suspension for both of the running backs is still currently on the table.
Mike Tomlin says a team suspension is still on table for Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount.
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_ESPN) August 25, 2014
It’s hard to imagine that Tomlin would sit both Bell and Blount down in the same week as that would leave the team with only rookie running back Dri Archer and potentially one other unknown running back to carry the load in a game. Tomlin could, however, sit one down one week and the other down the following week.
In 2008, Tomlin suspended wide receiver Santonio Holmes for a regular-season game against the New York Giants after police charged the former first-round draft pick with possessing a small amount of marijuana, so there is some precedent here.
To add to Brown’s report, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette posted Monday on Twitter that Tomlin said if the team does ultimately decide to discipline Bell and Bount, they will do so internally and not make it known publicly, so make of that what you will until it’s further clarified.
Mike Tomlin says If Steelers discipline Bell and Bount they will do so internally, not make it known. Aka, no Steelers imposed suspension
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) August 25, 2014
We will have to wait and see if Tomlin addresses this more during his Tuesday press conference, but both Bell and Blount have certainly now been put on notice that the team could possibly take action against both of them before the league does.
