Former Steelers star Le'Veon Bell has indicated he's walking away from the gridiron for good in a candid social media post.
The two-time All-Pro running back said he's "excited for this next chapter in my life" in a Wednesday Instagram post teasing an upcoming celebrity boxing match against fellow NFL star Adrian Peterson. Bell had previously indicated he would not be playing football for at least the 2022 season.
On Wednesday, Bell, 30, said the NFL "has done great things for me" and he "truly appreciated every single year" of his career, though he expressed regret over his controversial season-long holdout amid a contract dispute with the Steelers in 2018.
"Obviously, I (we, whoever) wish things would've played out differently in 2018, like if I legit had a time machine to go back to 2018, that would be soo litttt for soo many reasons but I don't ... all I can do, all WE can do is keep moving forward with life ..."
Bell held out the entire season while angling for a new long-term deal with the Steelers, who wanted to retain him on the franchise tag. He returned to the field with the Jets in 2019 on a lucrative four-year contract, but his days as a productive ballcarrier were over.
Following his midseason release by the Jets in 2020, he signed on with the Chiefs, serving as a backup. Last season, he spent time with the Ravens and Buccaneers, but he failed to latch on for a significant workload at any of those stops.
The former Michigan State standout was one of the league's premier dual-threat backs in his prime, racking up at least 1,800 yards from scrimmage in three separate seasons between 2014-17. His most productive season came in 2014, when he rushed for 1,361 yards and eight touchdowns, and recorded 83 receptions for 854 yards and three scores.
Bell's fight against Peterson is scheduled for July at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
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