Has former Spartan Le’Veon Bell played his last NFL snap?

Le’Veon Bell was one of the best players in the NFL just a few short seasons ago. He was arguably the No. 1 running back in the league and you could even argue a top 10-15 overall player in his prime, but then he held out in 2018 over a contract dispute.

It’s safe to say he hasn’t been the same since.

Since leaving the Steelers over a contract issue, he has rushed for about 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns and has over 700 receiving yards and another score.

That may not seem all that bad, but he was putting up numbers like those in single seasons with the Steelers from 2013-17. He had over 2,000 yards in his second year in the NFL (2014), about 1,900 yards in 2016, and over 1,900 yards in 2017.

After sitting out in 2018, he signed with the Jets and rushed for just under 800 yards in 2019 and that’s the most production he’s had since leaving Pittsburgh.

Le’Veon then signed with the Chiefs after he realized he wasn’t going to have much success with the Jets and it looked like the best possible situation for a running back trying to get back on his feet. The reigning Super Bowl champs needed someone to mentor Clyde Edwards-Helaire and still contribute, but Bell had just 63 rushes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in nine games.

It didn’t seem like a coaching issue, but now it seems like there was some contempt between Bell and Andy Reid.

Saying you’d rather retire than play for one of the most likable coaches in the NFL seems like a bad career move and it likely will alienate him from the rest of the league.

Bell did apologize for those comments on Monday but said he didn’t regret them which makes it seem like something happened behind the scenes that only those two know about.

Will we see Le’Veon Bell in the NFL again?

It’s mid-June and Le’Veon still hasn’t found a new team for 2021 which means he is probably going to be fighting for a roster spot when the season begins.

No teams have signed him yet and a statement like this about Reid along with the fact that he held out with the Steelers over a contract dispute for an entire year just goes to show teams that they may have to tread lightly with the former Michigan State star.

Sure, he probably still has some talent left in those legs (his 4.0 yards per carry average in 2020 was his best since 2017), but will teams be willing to potentially deal with a tough-to-please former superstar?

Don’t be shocked if Bell’s NFL career is either through or on its last leg. He’ll be 29 this season which is already “old” for running backs, so don’t be shocked if he hands up the cleats before he’s 30.