A crucial thing to know about Le’Veon Bell, if you ask one of his mentors, is that he is an excellent chess player. Bell took up the game as a third-grader and still plays frequently. He employs a patient strategy, holding back action pieces and waiting for his opponent to make the first mistake. It is not dissimilar to his running style, which makes him a singular NFL force when he plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bell, of course, is not playing at present. He refused to sign the Steelers’ franchise tag tender worth $14.5 million and is still holding out for a long-term deal he feels compensates him commensurate with his unique ability and massive production.