Jerome Bettis Has High Praise For Le’Veon Bell

He made a legendary career out of crashing and bashing through opposing defenses for a dozen years in the NFL. Now on the cusp of entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jerome Bettis – more affectionately known as “The Bus” to Steeler Nation – has offered up some glowing words for current Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.

“I think if he continues on this course…he can be one of the best that ever put on a uniform – not just a Steelers uniform, one of the best running backs ever,” declared Bettis.

The next man up in a long line of Steelers to feature in Canton, Bettis is just another man on the list of analysts and former players stunned by Bell’s production in his two years in Pittsburgh.

Bell was a one-man superweapon for the Steelers last season, racking up monster yards both on the ground and through the air. That stat sheet doesn’t even begin to tell the whole story, with Bell proving himself an excellent blocker and exhibiting a uniquely patient running style unmatched by anyone in the NFL before or since.

“He has the frame of a big back but the agility of a smaller running back, which makes him a very, very special player,” Bettis continued. “He’s a big back but also able to catch the ball out of the backfield, be elusive, do so many things. Being a three-down running back, that, in and of itself, is a special treat to have.”

Bell will be likely be limited to the sidelines for the first three games of the 2015 season as a result of DUI charges sustained last offseason. But even his maturity in the face of dealing with these very serious issues has impressed Jerome. “He’s very humble, very responsive, he looks you in your eye, talks to you and is very, very comfortable with who he is. That’s even a more special trait to have,” latter adding, “obviously, he’s made some mistakes and he addressed them head-on, which you love to see. And he’s dealing with those.”

It’s far too early to tell whether or not the malleable back can maintain his incredible production en route to a bust in Ohio. For now, Steelers fans can indulge in the spectacle that is Le’Veon Bell, and be thankful that the franchise appears to be entering another golden era of “Steeler football” a la Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis. The team’s running-back-by-committee purgatory is over, and the offense appears ready to explode into a 2015 season holding high expectations.