Le’Veon Bell, apparently unhappy with the criticism he’s received from the fanbase over his long-standing contract talks, took to Instagram to express that frustration Thursday afternoon. In a post, he said it was hard for him to be a hero in a city that paints him as the villain.
Something tells me going after the fanbase isn’t a smart play here…
Perhaps Bell’s frustration stems from recent reports that he is asking for up to $17 million per season. If that’s the case, a number the Steelers certainly won’t be matching. It’s also the same amount of money they gave to Antonio Brown last year.
Kevin Colbert and the Steelers have said Bell’s contract situation is on the backburner right now with free agency and the draft as more pressing needs.
Contract talks probably won’t heat back up until closer to the July 16th deadline, where they will either come to a long-term deal or Bell will again play on the franchise tag. Should it be the latter, which seems likely, Bell has said it will be a “rerun” of last year, with him missing all of camp and the preseason.
Pittsburgh hasn’t shown much known interest in running backs as a unit but they’ve spent plenty of time digging into LSU’s Derrius Guice. Reportedly, they will have a Pro Day dinner with him and should he fall to pick 28, could be in the mix.
Bell’s always gotten into trouble with these one-off posts that just sound silly. Last month, he said he wasn’t “wanted” by the team, something that is objectively untrue and a point he later conceded.
Now there’s this shot at Steelers Nation which will only increase the amount of criticism coming his way. Looking at the comments is just another example of that. It’d be best for Bell to make fewer waves about his contract situation. Anything he says in a tweet or a post comes without context and tone, especially when you refer to yourself as a “hero.” And the tone that exists in that post is pretty negative.
