The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the most explosive offenses during the mid-2010s. Ben Roethlisberger was having some of the best years of his career, while two of his best weapons were arguably the best at their position in the league. Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell were setting the league on fire. Unfortunately, the trio never got to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year, but there is no denying the how dangerous Pittsburgh's offense was with them at the helm.
Peter Diana / Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers' former running back, Le'Veon Bell was one of the best players in the NFL at securing yards after the catch.
Bell had an extremely unique running style which hadn't been seen much before in the league. He was always patient, and would often pause before even getting to the line of scrimmage so he could evaluate which hole to hit. This made him as successful as he was, but he was also able to inflict pain on a defense. Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey was asked who the hardest running back he has ever had to tackle was on the most recent episode of the Punch Line Podcast With Marlon Humphrey, and he brought up Bell.
"Le'Veon Bell. Only because he ran me clean over. I get mad nervous playing against him. When that end don't be holding that edge, I be like, 'Bro, please don't let him bounce out here.' Just 'cause he fast, you don't really look like you're running that fast, that's how he be stiff-arming people like that."
Prime Bell only had one season of facing off against Humphrey and the Ravens which came in 2017. The following year was when Bell held out and refused to sign his franchise tag, which eventually made him ineligible to play in 2018, making 2017 his last season in Pittsburgh. Humphrey was in his rookie year while Bell was in his fifth season, and the veteran got the better of the rookie.
Gene J. Puskar / AP
Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey fails to stop a touchdown against the Steelers in 2023.
Bell had his way with the Ravens in 2017. He scored five touchdowns against Baltimore in that season alone, four on the ground and one on a reception. The teams met for the first time in Week 4, and Pittsburgh won by a score of 26-9. Bell carried the ball an excessive 35 times on the ground for 144 yards and two scores, while also catching four passes for 42 yards.
In their second matchup of 2017, Pittsburgh won a tight one by a score of 39-38. Bell had another impressive game with 48 yards on the ground and 77 receiving yards. He ran in two touchdowns and scored on a 20-yard pass from Roethlisberger.
Humphrey didn't play much in the first contest, but he was on the field for the majority of the 39-38 loss. He had a decent game, recording a tackle for loss and five tackles. Bell was one of the premiere backs in the league at the time, as he was named an All-Pro at the end of the year.
Steelers' Former RB Has Been Reconnecting With Fans Since His Messy Hold Out In 2018
Bell's departure from Pittsburgh was extremely messy. He wasn't happy with the organization as he thought he was worth more than what he was being offered. He has since expressed some regret for how he handled the situation, even insinuating that he wishes he never had left.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Le'Veon Bell answers questions at a postgame press conference with reporters during the 2017 NFL season. | Photo credit: Fred Vuich / AP
The former running back has been talking about the team on X a good amount, and seems pretty locked in to what is going on. He has even attended the Terrible Tailgate, which is put on by SteelerNation.com during every home game and a couple of team's away games. Both Bell and Brown are currently set to be in attendance at the tailgate on October 13th at the Steelers' away game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
What do you think of Humphrey's comments about Bell? Let us know in the comments below!
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