Le'Veon Bell claims city of Pittsburgh has painted him as a 'villain'

By Mike Isenberg March 30, 2018 at 8:05am

If it’s the NFL offseason, it must be time for Le’Veon Bell to complain.

Last year, he held out until right before the Steelers’ season opener, upset that he had to “settle” for the franchise tag.

And this year, he’s taken it a step further, even going so far as to threaten the Steelers with retirement.

He later walked back on that one and said he’d play this season, though he won’t do “nothing else extra.”

And on Thursday, he took to Twitter to voice his frustration, claiming that the city of Pittsburgh has made him out to be a “villain.”

“(I)t’s so hard to be a hero in a city that paints youu out to be the villain,” Bell tweeted.

it’s so hard to be a hero in a city that paints youu out to be the villain.. pic.twitter.com/TBFAHTQJcm

— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) March 29, 2018

By most accounts, Bell is the best all-around running back in the NFL.

Since being drafted in 2013, he has accumulated more than 5,300 yards from scrimmage, to go along with 42 touchdowns.

Do you think Bell will eventually sign a long-term contract with the Steelers?

At the same time, the league is de-emphasizing his position.

Moreover, he’s 26 years old, meaning a long-term deal would likely take him past the point of no return for running backs — 30 years of age.

Still, he’s going to make at least $14.56 million next season, so it’s hard to feel too badly for him.

And he considers himself a villain?

Maybe it was his suspension in 2015 for marijuana possession.

Or it could be his history of either being hurt (2016 vs. New England) or coming up small (2017 vs. Jacksonville) in the postseason.

But most likely, it’s because of his constant complaining about being underpaid.

Few fan bases are more loyal than Steelers fans, but after the team’s recent playoff failures, it might be wise for Bell to sign his deal and keep his mouth shut.

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Money, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Isenberg

Freelance Writer

SummaryMore Biographical InformationRecent PostsContact

Mike is an 11-time Michigan Emmy Award winner who has spent nearly 30 years working in sports media.

Mike has spent nearly 30 years in all aspects of sports media, including on-air, 10 at ESPN and another 10 at Fox Sports Detroit. He now works as a TV agent, and lives with his family in West Bloomfield, MI.

Birthplace

Sudbury, Massachusetts

Honors/Awards

11-time Michigan Emmy winner

Education

Emerson College

Books Written

The Longest Year: One Family's Journey Of Life, Death, And Love/If These Walls Could Talk: Detroit Tigers/If These Walls Could Talk: Detroit Lions

Topics of Expertise

Sports