Former Buccaneers Running Back Admits to Smoking Marijuana Before Games

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Le'Veon Bell, was once one of the more captivating players on, and off, the NFL gridiron.

Bell dazzled on the football field as his almost stop-go, methodical running style took the league by storm vaulting him into one of the top running backs in the NFL and perhaps history.

However, Bell fell short due to some of his own decisions and ultimately began the downfall of his career in the NFL.

In a recent sit down on the Barstool Sports' podcast Steel Here, Bell joined hosts Jersey Jerry and Kevin Adams to discuss his football career, his proudest moments and even regrets that he may have from that time.

One of the problems that Bell faced during his NFL career was his constant trouble with marijuana and the league's substance abuse policy. During his sit down with the guys at Steel Here, Bell admitted that he would in fact smoke weed prior to his team's game.

“I feel like I got a misconception about me with the whole weed thing,” Bell said on the Steel Here podcast. “I was wrong just cuz I shouldn’t have smoked in the car, regardless. But looking back at this, that’s what I did. When I was playing football, I smoked, bro. Even before the games I would smoke. I’d go out there and run for 150 [yards] and two [touchdowns].”

Bell was suspended two games to begin the 2015 season when he was arrested for driving under the influence and marijuana possession in an incident in 2014. Bell also missed multiple drug tests in his career, leading to league action.

Even with everything that he caused himself, it seems as if the marijuana actually had a positive impact on Bell's game - allowing him to slow the game down and materialize what was happening in front of him to show off his elite vision and playmaking ability.

The NFL's policy surrounding marijuana has since changed a bit since the height of the Le'Veon Bell era. What once used to be drug tests throughout the season have now just become one during the season and another prior to the start of training camp. The disciplinary actions have also been cut from lengthy suspensions to just facing a fine from the league.

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