The Pittsburgh Steelers had a unique visitor during Thursday's practice in preparation for Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Le'Veon Bell, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro running back during his five seasons with the Steelers, was back at the team's facility for the first time since his 2018 holdout.
Decked out in Steelers gear, Bell visited the team's facility as a former player, although he has been open about a possible NFL comeback.
Bell shared a video of himself walking through one of the facility's hallways. He did not, however, share a video of the team's walkthrough as Pittsburgh prepares for a must-win game.
"Just know, they're gonna be ready," Bell said while talking about the Steelers ahead of Saturday's showdown.
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Bell was one of the NFL's top players from 2014-17. During that span, he was named to three Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2014 and in 2016. He was also named the Steelers' MVP both of those years while helping Pittsburgh win three division titles over that span.
He is the owner of several franchise records that include the most all-purpose yards for a single season (2,215 yards), the most receptions by a running back in one season (85), and the most rushing yards in both a regular-season and postseason game.
Bell was part of an offense in Pittsburgh dubbed the "Killer B's" that also featured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown. Four of Roethlisberger's six career Pro Bowl berths were earned during that span. Brown, a former sixth-round pick, blossomed into the league's top receiver while playing alongside Bell and Roethlisberger.
"Everything was just clicking," Bell said of Pittsburgh's offense during that time during a recent interview with CBS Sports. "The run set up the passing game with AB, Martavis Bryant on the outside side, Markus Wheaton. We were loaded. As a defense, you had to pick your poison."
The Steelers of that time also possessed one of the NFL's top offensive lines that included nine-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, six-time Pro Bowl right guard David DeCastro, two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, and longtime starters Ramon Foster and Marcus Gilbert. The offense also featured Pro Bowl fullback Roosevelt Nix, a fellow Columbus-area native who played against Bell in high school.
The unit provided sterling protection for Roethlisberger. It also worked in concert with Bell while complementing a running style that was predicated on patience.
"We had a good chemistry in Pittsburgh," Bell said. "Me, the O-line and Rosie, we hung out all the time. My running style was so different. I think differently than a lot of people when they run the ball. My offensive linemen understood that. They always knew that, as long as they were in front of me, they're winning. Defenders don't want to pick a side, so naturally, the offensive line would slowly be pushing them back, and before you know it, I had four yards before I was even touched. And that was the chemistry we had."
It appears that time has healed any lingering wounds that may have existed between Bell and the Steelers that were created by his 2018 holdout. While his time with the Steelers was cut prematurely short, Bell is still a notable part of the team's recent history who is embracing his new role as an alumni.
