‘I Should’ve Never Left’: Le’Veon Bell Apologizes to Steelers Fans

The circumstances around Le’Veon Bell’s departure from the Steelers is one that has become much clearer over the past few months. Bell, on the end of his career, has expressed a desire to come back to Pittsburgh and retire a Steeler. He’s noted he never wanted to leave but that the money part of the business got to him, and that he regrets ever leaving the Steelers at all.

“No, I didn’t want to leave Pittsburgh,” Bell said. “Because, at the end of the day, that’s where I was at. It was like, that’s where I got drafted, right?”

On Sunday, a video emerged of Bell apologizing to Steelers fans on Snapchat. While he went on the SteelHere Podcast, to talk about circumstances earlier this summer, this is the first time Bell has outright apologized for whatever occurred between himself and the team that prompted his season-long holdout in 2018.

Le’Veon Bell apologizes to all Steelers fans #steelers pic.twitter.com/jsDHxdcjBe

— matthew luciow (@Luciow1992) July 16, 2023

“You know, I’ve gotten requests to come on podcasts and all the know, but really you’re right. I never apologized to the fans and they really should know,” Bell said. “For leaving the Steelers, I never apologized. I want to say that I apologize for leaving the best damn fans in this world. I shouldn’t have left. I should’ve never left. I apologize, that’s my fault, that’s on me.”

In a followup story, he went to on to say that he hopes all the fans are good with him now following that apology. He reminisced about the days of the past when he was dominating the league as part of the team’s feared ‘Killer B’s’ trio.

“I’m praying that we’re even and that we’re good,” Bell said. “I can only apologize for what I’ve done. I can’t go back and change the future. If I could, y’all would see me in that backfield in 2018. But I can’t. I need y’all support now more than ever. You guys supported me in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, I need your support now.”

The biggest holdup in getting a contract done continued to be guaranteed money. With the franchise tag hitting him twice and Bell having experienced multiple injuries in his career, he grew wary of playing another year, causing him to sit out the year in hopes of hitting it big once he would hit free agency the following year.

Bell is now 31 years old and out of the league after going to the Chiefs and Ravens after the Steelers, but it can only be asked as a ‘what if’ and what could have happened if Bell did sign a long-term deal with the Steelers. But he seemingly wants to retire a Steeler and mend the fences with the franchise.