Steelers RB Bell’s Latest News Shows Lack Of Growth
The Steelers have one of if not the best running backs in the NFL. Le’Veon Bell is the complete package. Yet he has one thing lacking.
No, it’s not ball handling skills. No, it’s not that his decision making at the LOS when handed the ball could be better.
More from Still Curtain
- Steelers news: Rashard Mendenhall calls out Big Ben, Brian Flores interviews for HC job, and more
- Steelers play it safe in recent 2023 NFL mock draft
- Kenny Pickett gets his guy in latest Steelers mock draft with trades
- Steelers face potentially dark reality if Matt Canada doesn’t pan out
- Senior Bowl sleepers the Steelers must have on their radar
The thing that Bell needs to work on most over the next year or so? His maturity.
He’s young. He’s a stud. He’s been thrown into the limelight early in his career now that he is bonafide awesome. So, I think it’s easy to cut him some slack if he makes a gaffe whether verbal or through other actions.
Admittedly, I came down hard on him after his DUI bust. But, I think I would have come down hard on anyone that selfish and stupid to smoke up before getting on the team chartered plane for an away game.
When LeGarrette Blount left the team, just about everyone felt that those days for Le’Veon Bell were over. Not quite. He’s still showing signs of immaturity.
You may or may not know that before Bell was drafted, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. was rather harsh on Bell’s prospect and outlook as an NFL running back. It’s no surprise that Bell took exception to his remarks. Who wouldn’t? What’s odd (and shows his lack of maturity) is that almost two years after the fact, Bell starts to lay into Kiper and his draft grades.
I think it's so funny how Mel Kiper is just "qualified" to tlk about the draft...dude be wrong with just about everything tho...
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) March 4, 2015
but he was WRONG about Ray Lewis, he def was WRONG about me...he has his favorites, and it's just crazy that ppl listen to that dude
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) March 4, 2015
He goes on from there, criticizing Kiper’s practices of breaking down the incoming class.
I’ll be frank – it’s wrong and it’s stupid.
I’m in no way defending Kiper. There’s a mountain of criticism that he and his network deserve on how they go about “covering” the NFL.
But, it’s completely unnecessary of Bell to take up this beef. Perhaps Bell is upset that Kiper left him off of the All-Rookie Team. So what?
You want people to care about you as a player in the NFL?
Perform. Make great plays. Win games. Win championships. That’s all that speaks to the generations of NFL fans to come. What I care about is that he keeps the weight down and the muscle mass up this offseason, trains hard, and does not have a dip in performance after a spectacular year.
If accolades matter, then don’t forget that Bell was named AFC Co-Offensive Player of the Year in, first team all-pro, named to his first Pro Bowl, and was the team MVP in 2014. Who gives a flying you know what about what Kiper has to say after all that.
Bell might miss up to four games due to his DUI because there’s a clause in the new substance rules about a harsher penalty for substances not related to alcohol. Swell.
My advice to Bell, and I think most would agree, is to lay low and get your work done. Pray that you only get two games, and then let your play on the field make up for all this foolishness.
No one, even the Steelers, owe you anything. If they are willing to treat Polamalu the way they have regarding his imminent release, what do you think they will do with someone like you (Bell) who has yet to cement his greatness and continues to show a lack of growth in maturity?
Lay low, kid. Work hard. Train hard. The success will come and cement you as a great running back. Just quit pretending that you have to prove yourself by running your mouth.