The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have the cloud of star running back Le'Veon Bell's holdout put to rest as he decided to not return by the deadline on Tuesday afternoon to return to the play with the team this season.
It had been an ongoing saga around the organization that didn't appear to have any end in sight, which had put the onus of the rest of the team to continue to answer questions about Bell's potential return. In hindsight, Pro Bowl quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has voiced that he had reached out to his longtime team via text message to which he didn't receive a response back in any capacity, according to CBS 2 Pittsburgh.
“I texted him yesterday, didn’t hear back, and wish him nothing but the best, he was a great teammate and football player,” Ben said before practice on Wednesday. “To each their own what they want to walk away from.”
There has been a strong bond over the years between Roethlisberger and Bell that has helped them find much success on the field together over the last several years. However, this is a situation that the 26-year-old has chosen to take head on by electing to not play this season and lose out on more than $14 million in order to get into a better situation where he can garner that long-term contract he desires.
Bell is now on pace to hit the free agent market next March healthy and looking to get a fresh start elsewhere. His entire contract situation had passed the point of him being able to amend it with a new deal while second-year running back James Conner has stepped firmly into the starting job.
It has simply been something that will play itself out next March when he can restart his NFL career with another franchise while earning the contract he believes he deserves.
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