After two years of stubbornness, passive-aggressive posturing and playing chicken like hot-rod-driving greasers in a 1950s movie, the Steelers and Le'Veon Bell finally have reached the edge of the cliff.
The Steelers are preparing for life without Bell, at least for the season opener, and probably much longer.
Bell still has not signed his franchise tender or reported for work, and he isn't expected to do so anytime soon, according to ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. Consequently, the Steelers have been prepping backup James Conner for a starting role and talking him up for weeks.