Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell didn't show up to the team's walk-through practice on Saturday before their AFC Divisional Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars until five minutes before the practice ended, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Not only did Bell arrive much later than that for the playoff game against Jacksonville (as well as one coach), he missed practically the entire Saturday walk-through the day before, showing up about five minutes before practice ended.
Bell has been seeking a new contract from the Steelers after receiving the franchise tag last offseason and has threatened to sit out next season - or even retire - if Pittsburgh tags him again. If he is tagged again, he will make $14.57 million in 2018.
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Last year, the Steelers offered Bell a deal that "would have paid him more than $12 million on average per year and more than $30 million in the first two," according to Bouchette, but Bell turned down that deal despite the advice of his agent.
The Atlanta Falcons made Devonta Freeman the highest-paid running back in the NFL before the start of the season, signing him to a five-year, $41.25 million extension that included $22 million in guaranteed money - including a $15 million signing bonus. That surpassed the five-year, $40 million deal LeSean McCoy signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2015.
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Pittsburgh's previous offer to Bell was more than both of those deals, and given his reluctance to accept it, the Steelers are now wondering if they want to even re-sign him.
Bell finished third in the league in rushing in 2017 with 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns, but the 25-year-old also caught 85 passes for 655 yards and two more touchdowns.
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