Reports are currently being circulated widely concerning questionable late night behavior by Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell. On the first read, it appears to simply reveal one choice of Bell’s for social entertainment. On the other hand, what if the Steelers’ owners and front office feel strongly that the reports reflect poorly on the team’s public image?
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has recently come under sharp criticism about his perceived “loose” player management regarding off-field behaviors that might affect the team’s focus on football or the public’s perception of the team or its players. Although Bell has yet to sign the franchise tag and thus is not a Steeler technically, could these reports be the proverbial straw that leads to his tag being pulled?
Consider Bell’s situation.
He recently turned down the Steelers’ five-year, $70 million offer, presumably choosing to play the 2018 season on a one-year franchise tag. However,
multiple articles questioning Bell’s logic in rejecting the deal appeared on the internet immediately after he squelched it. They all made the
same good points.
Bell is 26 years old. Had he accepted the Steelers’ offer, he would have been 31 in its final year. Next season, he’ll be another year older with potentially another 300 total touches (and their consequent tackles) battering his body. Therefore, while future teams might offer Bell a contract with its initial years guaranteed, they’re unlikely to commit to paying him anything in its final years. The
average career length of an NFL running back is 2.57 years. Bell has already played five and suffered one major knee injury.
Moreover, every play of every game in 2018 represents a very real chance of suffering a career destroying injury. If so, he can wave goodbye to future millions.
Having turned down the Steelers’ long-term offer, Bell’s only contractual option for playing in 2018 is to sign a one-year, $14.54 million franchise tag. If he now wishes he could sign a long-term deal this summer, rather than hoping he stays healthy throughout a 16-game season and can then convince NFL GMs that he’ll remain his All-Pro self in five more years, he needs the Steelers to pull the tag. Only thus can he and his agent shop his services now while potential buyers know he’s healthy and
know he hasn’t been battered by another year of NFL wear and tear.
In light of Bell’s late night behavior, the question that intrigues me is this:
If Bell wanted the Steelers to make him an unrestricted free agent by pulling the franchise tag immediately – while he still has time to join another team in training camp and while they still have the cap space needed to pay him what he wants – how better could he force their hand than by embarrassing the team publicly?
