PITTSBURGH -- Technically, the relationship between Le'Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers is still alive. The team owns his rights. They can place the transition tag on him this offseason, which would spark a labor fight.
Realistically, only practical business would lead the Steelers down that path.
Sentiment is gone.
Two years of rocky negotiations and broken promises have left relationships frayed, paychecks forfeited and a divorce almost finalized.
An examination of the Bell saga from both sides shows he seemed destined for a yearlong holdout.
That Bell's locker remained untouched for the first 10 weeks of the season gave hope that an All-Pro would rejoin the backfield.