It’s officially official. Pittsburgh Steelers holdout running back Le’Veon Bell will not report to the team prior to the Tuesday afternoon deadline. This means that the All-Pro performer is no longer eligible to play for the remainder of the season.
Le'Veon Bell is not reporting to the Steelers by the 4 pm deadline today and is now ineligible to play the remainder of the 2018 season, source tells ESPN. His season is over.
Bell will become an unrestricted free agent this winter, when the bidding for his services will begin.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 13, 2018
It’s also pretty much a foregone conclusion that Bell has played his final game in a Steelers uniform. What an ugly end to what seemed to be a bountiful marriage between the two sides.
In his stead, second-year back James Conner has put up over 1,000 total yards thus far this season. And that second marriage is where the Twitter reacts from this less-than-surprising news start.
https://twitter.com/ConorRogers7/status/1062447270606630914?s=20
James Conner owners pic.twitter.com/TVJTk1HIfy
— Mike LaPenta (@MikeLaPenta) November 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/Steel_Curtain4/status/1062447510025891842?s=20
https://twitter.com/2k_howard/status/1062447545358733312?s=20
That’s not to say a player in Bell who has been thrown aside like the running back version of Nathan Peterman avoided ridicule.
Why would any team pay Le’Veon Bell next season when all he did was prove how replaceable running backs are?
— Young Redford (@mrejr8234) November 13, 2018
$14.5Milliiiiiiiiion!! @LeVeonBell pic.twitter.com/tFjXEjYLG6
— D (@DiegoVill) November 13, 2018
Hey @LeVeonBell… pic.twitter.com/GicawmMpqU
— Ethan Crystal (@ecrystal19) November 13, 2018
Coward @LeVeonBell
— Alexis Mac Allister salvou minha vida (@portaljmrcs) November 13, 2018
@LeVeonBell @nfl imagine being so rich that you can turn down a franchise tag and make nothing for a year.. I’ll just be over here working hard towards a pension in twenty years … wish I could earn millions
— Chris (@MaritimeMogul) November 13, 2018
Steelers fans were also seemingly all up in their feels.
The final chapter of the Le'Veon Bell saga in Pittsburgh has come to a close. He will become a free agent and get drastically overpaid by a team that will immediately regret it.
At this point, good riddance. The drama still ain't ending with him and the Steelers, though.
— Schlasser (@UrinatingTree) November 13, 2018
@LeVeonBell thank god I bought an Antonio Brown jersey!!! You are a bum!
— Gino Biagioni (@itsjustginob) November 13, 2018
The very few still in Bell’s corner stood up and showed their respect.
https://twitter.com/STACYs_mommm/status/1062448067205451776?s=20
https://twitter.com/big_tone187/status/1062448128287236096?s=20
https://twitter.com/AndyCarlsonShow/status/1062448148059226114?s=20
I am ready for Le’Veon Bell to be in a Texans uniform thank you
— Matthew Cardenas (@Matt__Card) November 13, 2018
@LeVeonBell I still love you as a player man. Thanks for the memories and the sweat and tears you put in for the @steelers. I know you’ll get a lot of flack for this but i respect your decision and wish you nothing but the best. #imwithleveon
— dadetweet (@dadetweet) November 13, 2018
Meanwhile…
Five minutes till 4 here’s a live picture that @WPXI is streaming still no signs of Le’Veon Bell #wpxi #PittburghSteelers pic.twitter.com/BDhkL3E3Lx
— coach (@coachtvnews) November 13, 2018
Yes, this long American nightmare is finally over. No word yet on whether we’ll have live flight maps of Bell’s next move. Stay tuned.