On Monday, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey predicted Le’Veon Bell’s return Wednesday. When the star running back didn’t show as expected, Pouncey unloaded on Bell.
“Honestly, it’s a little selfish,” Pouncey said after practice Wednesday, via the Tim Benz of triblive.com. “I’m kind of pissed right now. It sucks that he’s not here. We’ll move on as a team. It doesn’t look like he’ll be in the game plan at this point [for Sunday against Cleveland]. [James] Conner looks great. We’ll worry about [Bell] in Week 2.”
Or not.
Bell can stay away through Week 10 and still become a free agent in 2019.
Pouncey suggests Bell should do just that.
“We just finally accept things at some point and you’re like, ‘All right, if you don’t want to be here, it is what it is. Hold out for 10 weeks,” Pouncey said, via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pouncey was not alone in his thoughts about Bell. Offensive lineman Ramon Foster said, “Here’s a guy who doesn’t give a damn.”
Offensive lineman David DeCastro added, via Bouchette, that Bell’s teammates are “disappointed” in Bell’s absence, “What’s the expression? We’re stuck with our foot in our mouth. We all thought he’d be here.”
Pouncey wonders why Bell is letting his agent, Adisa Bakari, do his talking for him.
“Why play hide and seek? Why let your agent say this? Just man up and tell us what you’re going to do,” Pouncey said, via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Media.