The Le'Veon Bell era with the Pittsburgh Steelers came to an end on Tuesday when he failed to report by the 4 p.m. deadline, making him ineligible to play for the remainder of the 2018 season. With Bell focused on starting the next chapter of his NFL career this winter when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, it's very possible that the three-time Pro Bowler has no plans to set foot inside the Steelers' locker room ever again. His soon-to-be former teammates are assuming the same thing, and according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, they have already divvied up the items that remained in his locker.
Linebacker Bud Dupree was able to get two pairs of Jordan cleats from Bell's locker. "Appreciate the cleats, my guy," Dupree said per ESPN. "I wish you success, my guy."
Le'Veon Bell's nameplate was removed from his Steelers locker and it was open season on any of his old stuff 😂 https://t.co/l7pTM68TFQ@Bud_Dupree really hype about these Jordan cleats lmao (via @JFowlerESPN) pic.twitter.com/TglzaTx3nR
Despite Bell's season-long holdout, the Steelers lead the AFC North with a 6-2-1 record, thanks in part to the emergence of second-year running back James Conner, who is third in the league in rushing yards with 771, and tied for fourth in touchdowns with 11.
If there's any silver lining in Bell's decision to miss the entire season, it's knowing that this whole saga has come to an end. The Steelers can set their sights on the playoffs with the players they currently have on the roster, and we can stop discussing Le'Veon's holdout and its implications. Both sides have officially moved on, so can we pass along a note to every analyst and color commentator, and let them know that we never want to hear about this story again?
