Le’Veon Bell said in a promotional appearance earlier this week that he won’t play football in 2022 to concentrate on his boxing career. Later, in an Instagram post, he hinted at retirement.
Bell’s career has not been the same since his 2017 All-Pro season, which was followed by a contract holdout in 2018 in a dispute with the Steelers.
Bell wrote in his post this week that he wished he could turn back time to 2018, regretting how things played out.
“The NFL has done great things for me, [and] I truly appreciated every single year of my NFL journey,” Bell wrote. “Obviously, I (we, whoever) wish things would’ve played out differently in 2018, like if I legit had a time machine to go back to 2018, that would be soo litttt 🔥 for soo many reasons but I don’t . . . all I can do, all WE can do is keep moving forward with life.”
Mike Maccagnan likely regrets how 2019 played out. The former Jets General Manager signed Bell to a four-year, $52.5 million contract that included $35 million guaranteed. Bell lasted only 17 games over two seasons, rushing for 863 yards and three touchdowns.
Bell never could find what he had in Pittsburgh.
Running backs have short careers, and Bell, now 30, wasted the 2018 season. He also ultimately lost money by turning down a five-year, $70 million offer from the Steelers because it contained a low true guarantee of $17 million, and he then eschewed the $14.5 million tag for 2018.
Last season, Bell played five games for the Ravens and three for the Buccaneers. He has 6,554 career rushing yards and 42 touchdowns, while catching 399 passes for 3,289 yards and nine touchdowns.
