Sep 11, 2018 4 min read

One week into the National Football League season and Le’Veon Bell is still a no-show. He told several Pittsburgh Steelers teammates he would arrive early last week, in time to prepare for, then start, at Cleveland. But he remained AWOL.

His young backup at running back, James Conner, replaced him Sunday and performed valiantly, providing 192 yards of offense and two touchdowns. But, ultimately, Conner lost a crucial fumble late in the game, and Bell – arguably the best back in the league – was missed in a 21-21 tie with the Browns that felt more like a Steelers defeat.

No one seems to know when Bell will arrive, or if he will arrive, and sign the contract that will enable him to play this season, one in which his team is expected to contend for a Super Bowl championship. For the second year in a row, Bell and the Steelers could not agree on a pact, and for the second year in a row, the club has slapped the franchise tag on him.

That tag means Bell, if he signs, would be compensated $14.5 million in 2018, a lot more than the team was offering in a deal. Word, however, is the Steelers had on the table a salary competitive with that of other elite running backs.

Bell did sign before the 2017 opener and indications were that he would do the same this time, but he has not. Speculation is he may be attempting to pressure the club into giving in to his demands, or to preserve his body as much as he can in a physical sport before signing at some point this fall. Then, the theory goes, he would play out the season here before moving on to another team for monster free-agent bucks in 2019.

Only theories may be espoused because Bell isn’t talking to anyone. In the meantime, his inaction has turned off the Steelers’ formidable fan base and several teammates, who accuse him of being selfish and unreasonable. Offensive linemen Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro – guys who block for him – have lashed out at Bell, their comments contrary the silent unity usually expressed by the league’s union brethren.

The Steelers could use him, sooner rather than later, although even if he reported this week, he probably would not play Sunday against Kansas City, a formidable foe. Bell was mediocre at best in the first few games he played following the 2017 holdout, and who knows what physical shape he may be in now. He may have added unneeded pounds and transformed into Leviathan Bell.

Players and fans, not surprisingly, are rallying behind Conner, who – except for the costly fumble – was outstanding against the Browns. He was a beloved figure before the Steelers drafted him in April 2017, a fine young man who was admired for not only his stellar play at the University of Pittsburgh, but for recovering from a jarring hit by the ultimate tackler – cancer.

He basks in an even brighter light today, especially in contrast to the pall enshrouding Bell, who in many quarters is viewed as a greedy ingrate.

But this is not reality. Conner is not yet a proven NFL commodity and Bell is. He runs hard, eludes defenders, catches passes and protects his aging but still productive quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Bell is regarded as a workout demon who, within a couple of weeks, could be playing at a peak again.

Not even that great handicapper Nostradamus can predict how Bell – or the Steelers – will do this season. If he returns, the team needs him to play at a peak. If not, Conner must.