Le’Veon Bell Confirms His Threat to Sit Out the Year Was an April Fools' Joke

Le'Veon Bell was joking about his contract on Saturday; everyone calm down.

Charles LeClaire
USA Today Sports

Image via USA Today Sports

Charles LeClaire

Le’Veon Bell still hasn’t signed a long-term extension, and Steelers fans are starting to get antsy. He’s insisted all along he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, but the two sides haven’t been able to come to an agreement. He tweeted Saturday that he would sit out the whole season if worst came to worst.

ppl can say literally whatever they wanna say...but idc, I will LITERALLY sit out the WHOLE YEAR before I decide to play on the tag!

Arguably the best skill position player in the league threatening to sit out the season? You’d be shook, too, if you were a Steelers fan.

@L_Bell26 Take it from an ole pro treat it just like business  @steelers a great ORG but they gott keep the light on too

@L_Bell26 Don't be like bro , your time is coming. Be patient. This is not the way!!

But then fans remembered it was April Fools' Day and began speculating about whether it was a hoax.

@L_Bell26 Blood pressure just sky rocketed reading this. Thanks🙄🙄🙄#AprilFools

@L_Bell26 Lev Bell can come out any time now saying that this is an April Fools joke pic.twitter.com/G8lLCuHrW1

Bell at first insisted it was no joke.

lol everybody think this a joke...ok 👌🏾

But as expected, he came out today and confirmed otherwise: It was indeed an April Fool’s joke. No need to panic.

April FOOLS 😩😂

If Bell were to sign the franchise tag, he’d receive $12 million this season—making him the highest-paid running back in the league—and then would be guaranteed to either receive $14.5 million next year or get to walk in free agency and test the market.

It certainly looks like he’ll sign the franchise tag if the sides are unable to come to a long-term agreement before this coming season. That’s a lot of money. He still can’t go to prom, though.

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