After being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 48th overall pick int he 2013 NFL Draft, Le’Veon Bell became one of the best running backs in the NFL. However, his career trajectory took a downward turn because of one decision made in 2018.
In his first five seasons with the Steelers, Bell racked up 7,996 scrimmage yards with 42 touchdowns in 62 games. He averaged nearly 1,600 scrimmage yards per season and managed 4.3 yards per carry and 62 receptions pear year from 2013-’17.
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- Le’Veon Bell career stats: 6,554 rushing yards, 3,289 receiving yards, 51 total touchdowns
Pittsburgh wanted to keep building around the focal point of its offense. The Steelers reportedly offered him a five-year deal worth $70 million, a deal that would’ve made him one of the highest-paid NFL players.
Bell declined the offer, offering a multi-year deal worth $17 million per season with the hope Pittsburgh would be willing to pay him $15 million per season. Instead, after receiving the franchise tag for the second consecutive year, the two sides never bridged the gap and he sat out the entire 2018 NFL season.
During an appearance on the Steel Here podcast, Bell admitted he never should’ve left Pittsburgh and it was a mistake to turn down the contract extension over a few guaranteed millions.
“Yeah, it was a little petty, the little guarantee stuff. I’m thinking like, damn, could I have really just ate it? Yeah, I probably could’ve. Probably could’ve really ate it.”
Le’Veon Bell on his decision to reject Pittsburgh Steelers’ contract extension, sit out season
Bell also shed light on the process of negotiating with Pittsburgh. He admitted that he never wanted to leave the Steelers’ organization. After he left Pittsburgh, his time with the New York Jets made him realize what he missed out on.
“We kept going back and forth. It literally was the guarantee. They weren’t budging off of it and I wasn’t budging off of it. I didn’t want to leave Pittsburgh. At the end of the day, that’s where I was at. That’s where I got drafted at. Especially after going to different teams and seeing how it is, when a team has their guy, you’re their guy. I was Pittsburgh’s guy.”
Le’Veon Bell on his previous contract negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers
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- Le’Veon Bell career earnings: $45.379 million
New York signed Bell to a four-year, $52.5 million contract in March 2019 with $35 million guaranteed. He spent one season with the Jets, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry, before bouncing around the league with four teams from 2020-’21.
Bell’s decision to leave Pittsburgh cost him tens of millions of dollars and likely a very productive NFL career in his final years. While he lost out because of his decision, the outcome likely served as a cautionary tale for his peers.