🚨🚨 Le'Veon Bell thread alert 🚨🚨
Start here: Is Bell a villain or is he vilified? @stephenjnesbitt went to his hometown to get some clues. One of them involves this photo by @msantiagophotos of Bell's mom in front of a stadium Le'Veon helped fund. newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/blog/leveon-be…
Start here: Is Bell a villain or is he vilified? @stephenjnesbitt went to his hometown to get some clues. One of them involves this photo by @msantiagophotos of Bell's mom in front of a stadium Le'Veon helped fund. newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/blog/leveon-be…
Why were contract negotiations between Bell and the Steelers so difficult to begin with? @rayfitt1 explained that a few months ago. (tl;dr version is that he wanted market-resetting money and the Steelers generally don't do that)
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
To the surprise of few, Bell and the Steelers didn't reach a long-term deal by the deadline in July. So for the second consecutive year, the Steelers franchise-tagged Bell. That's a 1-year/$14.5 million tender.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
We learned a bit more about what the Steelers offered Bell for a long-term contract. Then we heard from Bell's agent (more from him later!) why it was rejected. “The Steelers have a unique way of structuring deals,” was how the agent put it.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
Bell, unsurprisingly not at training camp, kept popping up throughout the summer …
… like when he shared his thoughts on Todd Gurley's massive contract with the Rams (post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…) …
… and like when he released some of his music (post-gazette.com/sports/sean-ge…).
… like when he shared his thoughts on Todd Gurley's massive contract with the Rams (post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…) …
… and like when he released some of his music (post-gazette.com/sports/sean-ge…).
That's all OK, right? Not much later, we're towards the end of summer's meaningless football after all and Bell's telling his teammates he'll be with them, practicing, ready for Week 1 in Cleveland.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
Wait a second, now. Where's Le'Veon (remember that phrase!)? He's not with the team, not practicing, and probably not ready for Week 1 in Cleveland.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
A day of quiet on Tuesday.
Then Le'Veon's agent is back in picture Wednesday, hinting that, hey, maybe this is *far* from over. Bell can miss up to 10 weeks and still get credit for an accrued season under the terms of the CBA.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
Then Le'Veon's agent is back in picture Wednesday, hinting that, hey, maybe this is *far* from over. Bell can miss up to 10 weeks and still get credit for an accrued season under the terms of the CBA.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
Now, to catch us up to the present: Bell's teammates were less OK with the idea he'll miss multiple games and explicitly said that and explicitly made him into a Where's Le'Veon™ meme.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
NFL Week 1 starts tonight. Steelers play Sunday. Doesn't seem like Bell will be there. Stay tuned.
/thread.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
/thread.
post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
OK, one more that we have to add bc @EdBouchette dropped a lot of knowledge on what consequences Bell and the Steelers face because of this dilemma. post-gazette.com/sports/steeler…
