The NFL running back market is currently the subject of massive scrutiny after guys like Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard failed to meet contract extensions with their respective franchises. In response to the controversy over running backs not getting paid, former Pro Bowl running back Le'Veon Bell compares the position to Disney's A Bug's Life via a long Twitter thread.
Disney a LONG time ago (1998) taught me a valuable lesson about sticking together, go watch “A Bug’s Life” … it’ll put in perspective the running back market .. the running backs are the ants .. I’m Flik (The Inventive Ant) I took ALL the damage from the grasshoppers (Owners)
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 18, 2023
at the time, no one could see my vision or what I was standing for but all I was doing was just preparing to go against the grasshoppers/owners .. but as a lone inventive ant/RB, I obviously couldn’t beat the grasshoppers/owners alone .. ‼️
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 18, 2023
in 2017 & 2018 I was the lone ant, I was Flik .. it was literally ONLY ME .. fast forward 6 years later, now you have multiple ants tryin join the fight against the grasshoppers …
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 18, 2023
it’s still not enough tho because at the end of the day we’re just ants in the grand scheme of things .. we’re just ants
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 18, 2023
Le'Veon Bell indicates that when he was the only running back on the NFL free agency market back during his prime, it was much harder for him to earn the respect of the owners, much like the main character in A Bug's Life. However, he says nowadays there are more running backs realizing their worth and soon they will have to stand up to the powers at be, mirroring the sentiments of the movie.
It is quite the lengthy analogy from Bell, although one that might stand to make sense. NFL fans, players and media alike were upset that Barkley, Jacobs and Pollard didn't get contract extensions, blasting the running back market and owners for not valuing them as they should have been. In terms of Bell's opinion, he believes that the current state of the NFL running back is calling for all of the talent at the position to fight back for the money that they deserve.
It would come as no surprise to see moves made in the near future by running backs across the NFL to hold owners more accountable. Le'Veon Bell might end up with the perfect analogy to A Bug's Life as running backs start to band together and fight back against the owners.
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