No Love Lost in 'Brotherhood' Between Steelers and Le'Veon Bell

PITTSBURGH -- The sense that Le'Veon Bell sitting out the 2018 season doesn't seem to be reminiscing in the Steelers locker room this week. An obvious topic as the running back will meet his former team after sitting out a year while refusing to sign his franchise tag, the team's thoughts on Bell weren't as negative as imagined.

"We all love Le'Veon Bell," Maurkice Pouncey said - shocking a group of reporters. "I think he's always been great player in our eyes and we always appreciate everything he's done. Obviously he's a big part of our defensive game plan to stop him because of how good of a player he is."

It wasn't the response I was expecting. After teasing a possible return during the season, then not showing without any word to his teammates or any member of the organization, tensions were high between Bell and the locker room.

Players like Bud Dupree raided Bell's locker after he didn't show the final morning before having to rule himself out for the season. Taking cleats and shoes, players joked about how they're thankful their former teammate 'hooked them up'.

But Dupree said all that was nothing but joking around. The frustrations towards Bell at the time have faded and if he doesn't have 'beef' than neither do the Steelers.

Offensive Captain, Maurkice Pouncey, cleared up the situation quickly - stating at the time it wasn't different.

"We're just a team, we all wanted to be great we all wanted the best for each other," Pouncey said. "So heck yeah some frustrations happened a little bit but who cares, get over it we're on to so many different things."

How? A player that was a vital part of the offense for years suddenly abandoned his team when they needed him. Then, when they believed he would return, he didn't - leaving them hunting for a playoff birth without one of their best players.

"No, I'm telling you it's a brotherhood," Pouncey explained. "I know the outside world don't get it but me and Le'Veon were texting three, four weeks ago. So at the end of the day we let the outside world think whatever they want, we always want the best for each other as players and our careers and things like that. Hopefully we get the best of him this game and be able to stop him because he is a great player."

Pouncey continued talking about the game of football and what comes with a sport that involves such aggression on a daily basis. He explained how he's been in fights with players on the practice field and came back into the locker room totally fine. Hugging actually.

"At the end of the day I have the upmost respect for him," Pouncey said. "He did it his way and rightfully so, what's wrong with that? At the end of the day he made the right decision for himself."

With a big smile, almost laughing at Pouncey's response to the situation, Cameron Heyward agreed. Maybe he wasn't expecting to hear his teammates say positive things about Bell, but if it's the story they're rolling with it's what he agrees with.

"He was a great teammate when he was here. I never had anything with him," Heyward said. "He came to work, you knew what you were getting on Sundays. He cared about people on the field, he cared about his teammates but where different gear we'll get after him."

The Steelers emotions truly could have diminished, they could really have no hard feelings towards last year's situation. Maybe they haven't.

Either way, when the two sides meet on Sunday in East Rutherford it's going to be a battle. And I'm sure some Steelers are going to be looking to get their chance at their former teammate.

"We got to make sure we bring out hard hat because he's going to try to get some payback I know that," Heyward said.

Add us as a preferred source on Google