Le’Veon Bell Wants One More Shot Before Retiring with Steelers

Le’Veon Bell would like one more carry with the Pittsburgh Steelers before officially ending his NFL career.

Bell, who spent five seasons with the Steelers after being drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, has not played in the league since 2021, but he hasn’t officially retired.

Bell has taken up boxing since his football career has seemingly ended, going 1-1 as a professional after being fellow former NFL running back Adrian Peterson in an exhibition.
But in an appearance on the Steel Here podcast on Friday, he admitted he still has thoughts about putting on his No. 26 black and gold jersey one more time.

“I never officially retired,” Bell said. “The day when I do retire, it is going to be with Pittsburgh. … Before I do that, I may be like, hey, let me get a couple of carries in the preseason so I can show y’all something.”

Bell said that the training he’s been doing for boxing has him faster than he ever was during his NFL career.

“Physically, this is the best I’ve ever felt,” he said. “I run a 4.4 right now. … I ran a 4.5 at 230 [pounds].”

Bell has been fighting at a cruiserweight, which has a limit of 200 pounds.

He said he hasn’t seriously entertained the idea of making a full-time return to the NFL since he stopped getting offers to be a regular player, but that he wouldn’t mind one more shot to show people he could still do it.

“I train with guys that’s 23, 24, 25 years old, and they’re still not up to my speed because I’m in the best physical form I’ve ever been in,” Bell said. “That would be fire.”

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