Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell failed to report to the team before the deadline

Through the last couple of months, there has been much uncertainty around what Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Le’Veon Bell’s plans were for his holdout.

Bell made them quite clear on Tuesday afternoon as he chose not to report to the team prior to the deadline in order to be eligible to play this season, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

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The All-Pro running back failed to report to Pittsburgh Steelers headquarters Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, the deadline for him to play this season on the franchise tag.

The decision to go this route further clarifies that Bell has his focus on the free-agent market next March, where he will be one of the most sought-out players available. Regardless of this holdout, he is one of the top running backs in the league that has shown he can have a tremendous impact on both the running and passing game.

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Although it is a financial risk for Bell to bypass making more than $14 million on the franchise tag had he shown up to start the season, he has a strong belief that he can fetch the lucrative contract that will give him the guaranteed money and overall pay that he desires.

This move from Bell also allows for the Steelers to move on with second-year running back James Conner as the future at the position. Conner has proven to be a versatile option out of the backfield that is currently third in the league with 771 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.