The hammer finally came down on Steelers star running back, Le’Veon Bell, on Thursday for his arrest last August for possession of marijuana and driving under the influence (DUI).
The NFL announced that the second year back who finished second in the NFL in 2014 in both rushing yards (1361) and total yards from scrimmage (2215), will be suspended for three games to start the 2015 campaign.
Bell was riding in a car with LeGarrette Blount on Pittsburgh’s McKnight Road mere hours before the two were to board a plane to take the team to Philadelphia for a preseason game against the Eagles the following evening, when a police officer spotted smoke coming from their car and subsequently pulled the vehicle over.
- Both were charged with possession of marijuana, which is illegal in Pennsylvania. But Bell was also charged with a DUI since he was the one driving.
Blount, now with the Patriots after being released by the Steelers last November for leaving the field prematurely due to frustration over a lack of carries in a victory over Tennessee on Monday Night Football, was given a one-game suspension for his involvement in last summer’s incident.
Bell has said he plans to appeal the suspension, but, regardless, it looks like Pittsburgh will be without its star back and a key component to its offense at some point in the 2015 regular season.
The Steelers signed DeAngelo Williams to be Bell’s back-up, and his services may come in handy sooner rather than later.
