Due to him entering Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program last week, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell opened himself up to the possibility of a suspension per terms of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.
During his annual pre-combine talk with the media Tuesday, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said the organization still doesn’t know what to expect when it comes to a potential suspension for Bell. He added that while the league policy is spelled out, they don’t know how it’ll be interpreted by NFL, according to Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest. Colbert did say that the team must be prepared to adjust to whatever the league hands down punishment-wise to Bell.
While Bell and the Steelers wait for a potential one or two game suspension, the former second-round draft pick will be required to attend drunk driving school, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, pay court costs and suffer a 60-day license suspension.
After Bell’s hearing last week his defense attorney Robert Del Greco certainly made it sound like his client would indeed receive some sort of punishment from the league.
“If he’s fortunate enough to complete the conditions of the probation, he can earn a dismissal of the charges and expungement of the record,” said Del Greco. “This dispositional matter will spawn an NFL sanction in all probability and that will be in the offing.”
After making that statement, Del Greco was immediately asked if Bell could potentially file an appeal if he’s ultimately suspended.
“They now have more liberal aspects to appeal, but I would suspect that this dispositional hearing will certainly subject him to a sanction and if I was a guessing man I would put it in the one or two game area,” said Del Greco.
We’ll wait and see how the league interprets the policy as it relates to Bell, but at this point one would think that a one game suspension is the best possible outcome for the Steelers running back.
