As expected, the deadline for the Steelers and Le’Veon Bell to reach an agreement on a long-term deal came and went Monday, and the superstar running back will earn $14.5 million in 2018 while playing under the franchise tag for the second year in a row.
While that aforementioned outcome was no surprise, the Steelers’ final offer of five years and $70 million, as reported by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, left many totally shocked that the decorated back, who will be 27 years old next February 18, could leave so much money on the table at this stage of his career.