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Former Pro Bowl NFL runningback Le’Veon Bell has admitted to smoking marijuana prior to games.
During a recent interview, Bell — who last played in the National Football League with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2021 season — said that he would smoke marijuana prior to games and that it wouldn’t negatively impact his performance.
“Looking back on this, that’s what I did,” Bell said during a recent appearance on the Steel Here podcast. “When I was playing football, I smoked, bro. Even before the games, I’d smoke and I’d go out there and run for 150, two [touchdowns].”
Bell’s also made some headline-grabbing comments about former New York Jets head coach Adam Gase, who was in New York at the same time as Bell.
“As soon as I get to New York, I find that out like the first week. … Bro, the team wasn’t that great, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like if Coach [Mike] Tomlin [of the Steelers] was coaching that team, we win nine games at least. It’s to the point where [ex-Jets quarterback] Sam Darnold don’t even know like the actual line’s protections because he’s so confused about our offense because the coach is confusing him.”
During his eight-season-long NFL career, Bell was named to three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro First Team in 2014. In total, Bell racked up 6,554 yards for 42 touchdowns and another 399 catches for 3,289 yards and nine touchdowns.
After five successful seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the final few years of Bell’s career were spent as a journeyman as he spent two years with the Jets and a year with the Chiefs, Ravens, and Bucs, respectively. While Bell claims that he’s not officially retired, the 31-year-old former Pro Bowler sat out the entirety of the 2022 season, which suggests his career is over whether he likes it or not.