Steelers veteran RB Williams continues to back Bell on and off field
For all those out there who are down or upset about Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell and his latest transgression with the league — he is in the appeal process of a four-game suspension for the violating the NFL's drug policy — DeAngelo Williams offered up some advice.
“Knock that off, man,” Williams said Monday.
It wasn't a blanket endorsement of innocence from the veteran running back about his troubled teammate, who is a facing his second suspension in as many years for a drug-related incident.
Instead, it was more because, Williams said, nobody knows — including him — the details surrounding Bell's latest run-in with the league.
Reports indicated Bell missed multiple mandatory drug tests before being notified of his suspension in March. Later reports suggested there was a miscommunication between the tester and Bell over a changed phone number, which resulted in the missed tests.
Bell isn't saying. His agent isn't saying. The Steelers aren't saying. The NFL isn't saying. And that has led to all sorts of speculation about Bell, which is something Williams refuses to take part in.
“Everybody has their own take on stuff on what they would've done or how they would've handled certain things, and they don't know what's going on with the situation,” Williams said. “None of us know. Let's take the sit-back-and-watch approach. ... We are not so sure in this case that he made a mistake. We don't know the complete story.”
Bell's appeal is set to be heard by the league by mid-August, according to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. It's unusual for an appeal to be overturned when it comes to drug-related suspensions, even if there's a believable excuse.
The drug policy that was adopted in 2014 states it is the player's responsibility to notify the tester of a changed cellphone number or anything else that may hinder the tester's ability perform his job.
If the suspension is upheld, the Steelers will turn to Williams to start the season for the second consecutive year.
Williams performed at a Pro-Bowl level while filling in for the suspended — and then injured — Bell last year. Williams rushed for 907 yards and a league-high 11 touchdowns before injuring his foot in the season finale and missing both playoff games.
To Williams, whether Bell is suspended won't change his mindset heading into the season. After all, Williams was the starter in Carolina for a decade before being released two years ago after Carolina felt that Williams had lost a step.
“I have always had to prepare that way because up until last year and the year before, I have always been a starter, and there's been a lot of pressure on me,” Williams said. “Being the backup, as they call me, I have no pressure on me at all. I actually like that title because it is a non-pressure position.”
Even though Williams kept the Steelers run game afloat when Bell was out, there are questions surrounding him about being able to duplicate what he did last year.
In a sense, it's understandable. Williams is 33, which makes him the oldest running back in the league. Then there's the wear-and-tear associated with a 33-year-old running back.
Williams has 1,600 NFL carries and had close to 1,000 in three years in college. But he showed no sign of slowing down last year in the 10 games he started for the Steelers.
“There are always going to be questions, and that's what I love about it,” Williams said. “It went from ‘If DeAngelo can fill the role' to ‘How long he can hold up?' to ‘He can't keep doing this.' There are always going to be questions, I know that, but I will continue to let my play answer those questions. Can the Steelers win Super Bowl LI? That's the question I want answered.”
To offensive coordinator Todd Haley, there are no questions about Williams, who can jump into the NFL top 50 in career rushing with 214 yards.
“The comforting thing is that we have a year's work with DeAngelo,” Haley said. “We aren't getting him from another team. We've had him for a year. We know what he likes and what he is really good at, and that's very comforting as a coaching staff.”
Mark Kaboly is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mkaboly@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MarkKaboly_Trib.
