Seattle Seahawks star safety Earl Thomas has spent much of the first few weeks of the season in a standoffish situation with the team that had put it all in a tough spot.

However, things took a rough turn with Thomas suffering a broken leg that in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals that gave a middle finger gesture toward the team as he was being carted off the field. In response to that, Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Le'Veon Bell chimed in on the situation by voicing that it has only made his efforts that much more stronger.

Article Continues Below
More Seattle Seahawks News
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) scrambles away from Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (0) and throws for a touchdown in the first half at SoFi Stadium.
Raiders’ Geno Smith explains why Seahawks trade excited himJulian Ojeda ·
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) catches a pass in the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Seahawks’ Sam Darnold dishes on what makes Cooper Kupp uniqueQuinn Allen ·
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) looks to throw against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
How Brock Purdy, 49ers are key to Jalen Milroe’s developmentJake Faigus ·
Sam Darnold, Seahawks
Seahawks’ riskiest move in 2025 NFL offseasonDouglas Fritz ·
image thumbnail
Seattle Seahawks 3 best trade targets to round out 2025 rosterBen Strauss ·
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates running back Aaron Jones' (33) touchdown run with head coach Kevin O'Connell during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Exclusive: How Kevin O’Connell is still helping Sam Darnold with SeahawksDJ Siddiqi ·

This is what Bell was looking to avoid in his matter with the Steelers has led to him to continue to hold out for the team. He didn't want to go throughout the year with the security a new contract. What happened to Thomas is the exact major risk he doesn't want to get caught up in as the Seahawks All-Pro safety is now out for the rest of the year and will be a free agent next offseason where the amount of money he could have landed will be less due to the injury.

The game of football is a physically demanding sport that makes moves like this that Bell has decided to go that much more critical. He doesn't have the security of a long-term deal if he were to get injured in the manner that Thomas just did on Sunday afternoon. This is something that he had pushed to get done with Pittsburgh but the team was unwilling to meet those contract demands this past offseason.

What this does more than anything else is further extend his holdout that may push toward the last deadline day on the Tuesday after Week 10 action. More importantly, it has become a more complicated situation in Pittsburgh.