Steelers Players Trash Le'Veon Bell Amid Holdout
By Henry McKenna
You’d think the players would be in support of a player fighting to get paid the figure he thinks he deserves. Well, not in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room.
A number of offensive linemen seemed deeply displeased that Le'Veon Bell’s holdout has lasted a few days into the regular season with the running back’s agent threatening to continue the stalemate well into the regular season. Maurkice Pouncey, David Decastro and Ramon Foster trashed Bell on Wednesday during media availability.
Pouncey on Bell--"Honestly it's a little selfish. I'm kinda pissed right now. It sucks that he's not here. we'll move on as a team. It doesn't look like he'll be in the game plan at this point. Conner looks great. We'll worry about him in week 2."
— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) September 5, 2018
Maurkice Pouncey also issued this reminder: "A star is born every year in the NFL. Did anyone know Kareem Hunt would be an All-Pro before last season? If James Conner didn't have cancer, he'd have been a first round pick. Just watch him." #Steelers
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) September 5, 2018
Maurkice Pouncey is clearly DONE w/ Le’Veon Bell’s absence. Says he’d much prefer Bell just say when he’s going to show up, even if it’s Week 10: “Why play hide and seek? Why let your agent say this? Just man up and tell us what you’re going to do.”
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) September 5, 2018
Maurkice Pouncey on Le’Veon Bell’s agent suggesting he’d like to know #Steelers plan for the RB this year: “That’s just stupid. You can’t play football like that.”
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) September 5, 2018
Maurkice Pouncey on the absence of Le’Veon Bell: “At this point, it’s bigger than business.” #Steelers
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) September 5, 2018
DeCastro on Bell -- "Just sit out the whole year then."
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 5, 2018
"I don't know, it's kind of awkward. It's kind of weird" -- DeCastro when asked if they will welcome him back if he misses games. @TheAthleticPGH
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 5, 2018
David DeCastro wasn't happy with Le'Veon Bell's no-show: "We all thought he'd be here today. He makes us all kind of look stupid a little bit." @TheAthleticPGH
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 5, 2018
More Ramon Foster on Bell: “He’s making 7 times what I make twice as much as Al (Villanueva) is making and we’re the guys who do it for him.”
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) September 5, 2018
Foster also expressed his frustrations on Twitter on Wednesday.
— Ramon Foster (@RamonFoster) September 5, 2018
During the 2018 offseason, the Steelers put the franchise tag on Bell for the second straight year, which, if he signed it and reported for work, would’ve earn him $14.544 million in 2018. He would then enter free agency after this season, barring an extension between Bell and Pittsburgh. However, he has not reported with hopes of locking up financial security for the long term.
As a result, he seems like a long shot to play in Week 1, which means the team will look to running back James Conner. And apparently, the offensive line has faith that they can create more than enough room for the second-year back. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t rip into Bell — in fact, he praised the running back — but Roethlisberger touted the importance of Foster, Pouncey and Decastro.
Roethlisberger from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler:
"“You know football is the ultimate team sport. One guy doesn’t make, or break, you. So, I’d like to say the linemen are more important than any skill position player, including myself, on this team. So, this offense is more than just one guy.”"
Ben Roethlisberger says the Steelers offense will be fine with or without Le’Veon Bell. “One guy doesn’t make or break you.” pic.twitter.com/4RebY7GYIC
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 5, 2018