Le'Veon Bell Criticizes Steelers Over Treatment of Draftees

Le'Veon Bell publicly criticized the Pittsburgh Steelers after the team traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys following a contract dispute, arguing that Pittsburgh does not treat all of its drafted stars the same. In a post on X, Bell said he wished the Steelers paid their Black superstars they drafted the way they pay their White draft picks, while also mentioning George Pickens and adding that T.J. Watt is worth his contract.

The comment quickly drew attention because Bell's own history with the franchise complicates the claim. Bell, one of the most productive running backs in Steelers history, played in Pittsburgh from 2013 through 2017 after being selected in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Before the 2018 season, the Steelers offered him a five-year contract worth $70 million. Bell later acknowledged that he came close to accepting that deal, but he ultimately declined it because he wanted stronger guarantees.

That contract offer remains central to the discussion. Regardless of how negotiations ended, Bell was a Black player drafted by Pittsburgh who received a major extension proposal from the organization. His criticism therefore raised questions about whether the issue is truly about race or about the difficult and often uneven nature of NFL contract talks.

Steelers pay structure comes under scrutiny

The current makeup of Pittsburgh's payroll also became part of the debate. T.J. Watt and quarterback Aaron Rodgers are the team's two highest-paid players, and both are White. However, their salaries are tied to their roles and résumés: Watt has been the Steelers' most accomplished player in recent years, while Rodgers is a four-time MVP playing the league's most valuable position.

Beyond those two contracts, much of Pittsburgh's upper salary tier is made up of Black players. DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey and Patrick Queen have all received significant deals from the Steelers. Michael Pittman has also received major contract extensions from the franchise. Those examples were cited by critics of Bell's argument as evidence that the organization has consistently shown a willingness to invest heavily in Black players.

Bell responded to some of that pushback by arguing that those players were not drafted by Pittsburgh. Even under that narrower standard, though, there are notable counterexamples. Jaylen Warren, Keeanu Benton and Darnell Washington were all drafted by the Steelers, all are Black, and all received notable contracts from the team.

Past and present examples shape the reaction

Another name frequently raised is Cam Heyward. Drafted by Pittsburgh in 2011, Heyward overlapped with Bell on the roster and has been rewarded repeatedly by the franchise. The Steelers reworked his rookie deal before it expired and then paid him again in 2015, 2020, 2024 and again before this season. His career path is often pointed to as a clear example of a Black homegrown star being valued and retained by the organization.

The broader context inside the franchise also matters. For nearly two decades, the Steelers were coached by Mike Tomlin, who stepped away earlier this year. Tomlin is Black. The team's current general manager is Omar Khan, whose family background includes Indian, Honduran, South Asian and Hispanic heritage. For many observers, those leadership realities make Bell's accusation harder to support without stronger evidence.

Bell's post has nonetheless reignited discussion about how teams handle contract disputes with drafted players and how those decisions are interpreted publicly. The Porter trade, combined with earlier questions around Pickens, clearly struck a nerve with the former Steelers running back. But based on the team's documented history of offering Bell a lucrative extension and paying multiple Black drafted players, the claim of a racial pattern remains highly contested.