New York Jets running back Le'Veon Bell wasn't moved at Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, but rumors of a trade weren't false. On Thursday, the three-time Pro Bowler confirmed trade rumors were true, specifically, interest from four terms: the Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Said Bell on Uninterrupted “17 Weeks” podcast, via Brian Costello of the New York Post:

“There was a lot of trade speculations and rumors about, you know, me getting traded obviously from the Jets to other, multiple teams. And they were actually true. There were times where — I found out from my agent, you know, he had talked to the Jets and things like that. But the team were like Houston, the Packers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and surprisingly the Steelers, were all in the mix of trying to trade from me. And from what I heard and I understand was the Jets were really asking for a high price and a lot from me.

And on top of that my actual contract was kind of tough for teams to deal with, which is understandable. Not too many teams really want to pay that high of a price for a running back. To be honest I obviously was not trying to take a pay cut simply for that fact that I sat out a full year of football to get what I feel like I earned and deserved.”

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A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million contract with $27 million guaranteed with the Jets in the offseason. He skipped all of 2018 due to a nasty contract dispute with the Steelers. Their interest in him at the trade deadline is interesting, considering they let him leave in the offseason.

Bell has not flourished with the Jets in 2019. In fact, he is having a career-worst year. On the season, the dynamic back has 536 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns while averaging a career-low in rushing yards per attempt (3.2).