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Yesterday, anyone who took Le’Veon Bell in the first round of their fantasy draft got to experience what true betrayal feels like when rumors started to fly that the Steelers running back could potentially sit out the first ten weeks of the season while waiting for a bigger contract from the team.
As you’d expect, it was only a matter of time before reaction GIFs began to fly.
This year, I drafted Le’Veon Bell 2nd overall and Jerick McKinnon in the 3rd round pic.twitter.com/JdbhrNEv0R
— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) September 5, 2018
However, it wasn’t just fantasy football owners who felt like they’d been stabbed in the back.
Shortly after the news broke, a number of Bell’s teammates also weighed in on the topic, and based on some of their comments, it is very clear that all is not well in the Steelers locker room.
Ben Roethlisberger says the Steelers offense will be fine with or without Le’Veon Bell. “One guy doesn’t make or break you.” pic.twitter.com/4RebY7GYIC
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 5, 2018
The Bell saga stretches back to last year when he applied for a job at Dairy Queen as a fallback if the Steelers refused to renegotiate his contract to give the superstar the money he feels he deserves.
He’s repeatedly butted heads with the organization since then, and while he didn’t follow through on his threat to retire if the Steelers placed a franchise tag on him, he’s continued to voice his displeasure with the team’s refusal to give him a long-term contract to his liking.
Bell’s teammates might not have his back but he’ll be glad to know he has at least one ally in his corner thanks to Mike Golic, who expressed his support for the running back on his radio show earlier today.
“I believe what the Steelers did yesterday in the locker room was wrong.”
– @espngolic on the public comments about Le’Veon Bell pic.twitter.com/hgIDop8A3y
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) September 6, 2018
Golic expressed his sympathy for the team’s frustration with Bell but thinks the situation should be handled internally, saying:
“I think what the players did in the Steelers locker room yesterday was wrong. Do they have a right to be mad? Absolutely … I did not say I wouldn’t be bummed out, upset, mad, whatever you want. But you do not spill it to the media.”
If you need me, I’ll be on Amazon looking for the biggest popcorn machine I can buy while this drama continues to unfold.