Le'Veon Bell bet on himself, and lost big

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The NFL does not value running backs the same way it values other premier positions. Especially not running backs who have plenty of wear and tear on their bodies. That’s something Le’Veon Bell found out the hard way.

After sitting out the entire 2018 season, losing out on $14.4 million in guaranteed money, Bell reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with the New York Jets worth $52.5 million.

That’s a lot of money to be sure. Yet it doesn’t come close to what Bell was hoping to get, and had been pushing for going all the way back to 2017.

Meanwhile, his old teammate Antonio Brown will reportedly earn more than $19 million per year in Oakland after a winter of talking trash about Pittsburgh.

Even worse for Bell, he reportedly turned down a massive five-year deal from Pittsburgh last summer worth $70 million. Reportedly, it would have earned working roughly $20 million in 2019 and and included roughly $33 million in the first two years.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/leveon-bell-bet-on-himself-and-lost-big/ar-BBUHPgM?li=BBnbfcL

[PoliticAverse]

1. Sometimes when you hold out for a better deal you get a worse one. n/t

[GWC58]

4. Yeah, and part of that "worse" deal is he signed with the

New York Gi, oops, I meant, JETS! LOL!😂😂🤪🤪😂😂🥴

[Kurt V.]

2. why are these guys leaving Pittsburgh?

[exboyfil]

3. Some things to consider

The best Steelers offer was $20 million guaranteed (there is some controversy on this point). while the Jets offer is $35 M guaranteed.

For running backs it is more about the wear than the age. He may have one extra year on the backside of his career because he took last year off. Also the Jets may not run him into the ground like the Steelers.

Todd Gurley is a cautionary tale. If his arthritic knee had flared up before his massive extension, he never would have gotten it. Bell could have been injured last year and collected the 2nd year of the proposed contract ($15M of the guarantee would have been lost).

He did have some bad luck with the injury to Gurley and having Connor do well as his back up.

Apparently the Steelers have some issues, Bell and Brown are not the first players to have issues with how they handle contracts.

[GWC58]

5. Being a Ravens fan

I hate to say this but the new Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be the Cleveland Browns. That might the next AFC Champion. 🤔

[brush]

6. Depends on how you look at it. He got a ton of guaranteed...

money and a year less wear and tear on his body. And by sitting out he didn't take the chance of getting hurt and watching all his leverage and money go up in smoke as he was carted off the field on a stretcher.

$37M gauranteed sitting in the bank and a fresh start in NYC is not bad.

[fishwax]

7. Seems to me he did okay ... he definitely didn't lose big

If he stayed healthy and maxed out his incentives with the Steelers he could have made about half a million more per year with what they were offering before the season. But he's getting more guaranteed money out of this deal, which (esp as a running back) it makes sense to prioritize.

[True Dough]

8. Talk about RBs having years and miles on them

Check out Adrian Peterson, re-upping for another 2 years with Washington.

Link to tweet

[madinmaryland]

11. LOL! He went to Washington. That's a guaranteed career ended.

Hopefully it’s a guaranteed contract.

[gibraltar72]

9. He read Donnie Collusions book.

[world wide wally]

10. He sure fucked up my fantasy team last year!