The Steelers ongoing saga with running back Le’Veon Bell took an unusual turn this week, when other players began speaking out against another player.
That was enough to concern coach Mike Tomlin, who admitted it could be a distraction if the players who are on hand allowed it to be.
On Friday, wide receiver Antonio Brown tried to calm things down a bit, pointing out that Bell would eventually come home.
“No one wins when the family feuds,” Brown said, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. “At the end of the day, we’re family. We want the best for him. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not about pointing fingers and fighting among each other. We are a core group that should respect and love each other regardless of the situation.”
When asked if Bell was still a member of the family, Brown replied: “When he comes, we’ll be a part.”
Not everyone was so magnanimous this week, as a number of offensive lineman aired their gripes. They thought — because Bell said so — that he was reporting this week to sign his $14.5 million franchise tag. But Bell didn’t show up, and his agent gave interviews which suggested concerns about his workload entering another contract year.
Bell’s giving away $855,000 each week he doesn’t show up. That would buy a lot of food for the next family gathering.
