Before the season started I wrote about how I agreed with LeVeon Bell’s holdout. I felt like he was doing the right thing, and the best thing for his life after football. I’m all for athletes, but especially professional football players, getting their money while they can. There is such a short amount of time, and I feel like they need to seize that chance when /if they can. The career span in football is so short too, so get yours.

With the news that he didn’t sign yesterday, Bell is now ineligible to play for the rest of this season. I don’t think a decision like this has blown up more in anyone else’s face like it has to Bell. As I said, I fully supported him, but it is painfully clear that the Steelers do not need him to be a threat.

Who could have seen this coming from James Connor? I’ve liked this kid since I saw him in college at Pitt, and I felt like he’d be a great back up running back and perfect for third down. He seemed like the perfect back to bring in behind Bell. Well, he has been every bit as good, in some statistical categories better, than Bell has been his whole career. Connor averages as many yards per carry as Bell did. He goes for 100 yards seemingly at will. I know he didn’t eclipse it last week, but he still went for 60 plus and a TD before leaving a blow out win with a concussion. He is just as good a pass catcher as Bell. He gets the ball and goes. He catches pretty much everything that comes his way, and he usually turns those into big gains or TD’s. He is also a great team player. Everyone loves this kid, and it’s not just that he beat cancer and still plays. He beat cancer and has made Steelers fan comfortable with him taking over the running back role. I picked him up in fantasy football the moment I knew Bell was going to sit, and he’s one of my most efficient and effective players. He’s so perfect for fantasy football. He does it all.

Now, Bell has to realize that he may not be as important to the Steelers as he thought. I mean, how can he not. Connor is going to get award mentions at the end of the year. The Steelers are going to give him what he’s worth, which is less than Bell. He’s younger, which is just another notch in his belt. As for Bell, he’s going to be a free agent, which he wanted, but I don’t think he will get the money he could have gotten had he played this year. Also, he just wasted a year of his prime to try and prove a point, and it magnificently backfired.

What title contender is going to sign him to the huge deal he wants? The Patriots just drafted a running back who’s pretty solid. The Packers have found their guy in Aaron Jones. The Panthers have Christian McCaffery. The Saints have Alvin Kamara. The Rams, Todd Gurley. The Chiefs have 2 young and solid backs. The Vikings have Dalvin Cook. The Bears have Tarik Cohen. All these guys are younger and more important to their teams than Bell could ever be. He’s going to have to settle for a team like the Raiders or Jets or Dolphins or Lions. He destined to play for a mediocre team that will sign him so they can sell tickets. He won’t be a mainstay in the playoffs anymore. He won’t be the threat he once was. He will just become another guy.

This should upset Bell. He should have signed yesterday if only to get his money. He shouldn’t have wasted a year. He should have done what Earl Thomas did. I know Thomas got hurt, but the fact that he played will get him paid next year. This was a misstep and I’d be scared if I were Bell. He is just going to be another name. All because he wanted to prove a point. What a bummer for him. And good for James Connor. Way to secure your spot when you got your chance.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is afraid to hold out because the head editor may get the the DJ 3000 to replace Ty on the podcast. It worked on Bill and Marty.

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