Pittsburgh Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell facing four-game suspension
Le’Veon Bell, the running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, could miss four games due to skipping multiple drug tests, the NFL announced on its website on Friday.
The NFL has not yet made the punishment public since the appeals process is still in progress.
It is anticipated that Bell’s appeal will be considered prior to the start of the regular season. Should it turn out to be a failure, Bell will miss the first four games.
After being arrested in the summer of 2014 for both marijuana possession and DUI, the 24-year-old was suspended for three games in 2015; however, his suspension was ultimately reduced to two games for violating the NFL’s drug abuse policy.
Before suffering a season-ending MCL injury in November while being tackled by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, Bell ran for 556 yards and three touchdowns in six games during the previous season.
In the event that Bell is suspended, DeAngelo Williams will take over as the Steelers’ main ball carrier. Last season, the 33-year-old former Carolina Panther stood in for Bell and ran for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns on 200 carries.
Bell’s suspension would be a further setback for the Steelers offense, which is already without wide receiver Martavis Bryant due to his suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy for the entire 2016 campaign.
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Myles Garrett of the Browns is punished indefinitely for attacking a Steelers player’s helmet.
The defensive back “must meet the commissioner’s office prior to a decision on his reinstatement.”
Myles Garrett, a prominent player for the Cleveland Browns, was suspended by the NFL indefinitely without pay for pulling off a Pittsburgh Steelers player’s helmet and striking him in the head during Thursday night’s game.
The news was tweeted on Friday by Michael Signora, senior vice president of football and international communications for the National Football League.
Myles Garrett, a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, is shown walking off the field following his ejection from an NFL football game on November 14, 2019, in Cleveland, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, late in the fourth quarter.AP/David Richard
The defensive end “must meet with the commissioner’s office prior to a decision on his reinstatement,” according to the statement, and Garrett’s ban will be at least for the remainder of the regular season and the postseason.
Garrett grabbed Mason Rudolph’s helmet from Pittsburgh with only a few seconds remaining in the game on Thursday and gave him a hard blow to the head. A brawl involving several players from both sides was started by the attack.
Garrett was removed from the game along with two other players, Larry Ogunjobi, a defensive lineman from Cleveland, and Maurkice Pouncey, a center from Pittsburgh. While Garrett was on the ground, Pouncey seemed to land at least two punches and kick him in the helmet.
Ogunjobi and Pouncey were also suspended without pay, according to Signora’s statement, “for their actions in Thursday night’s game.” Pouncey is out for three games while Ogunjobi is out for one.
An appeal regarding a suspension may be filed in three working days.
In a statement issued by the Browns on Friday, Garrett expressed his regret and acknowledged that he had made a “terrible mistake”.
“I lost my temper, and what I did was improper and self-centered. I am aware that each of us bears accountability for our deeds and
Garrett was removed from the game, along with two other players: Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey and Cleveland defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi. Garrett was on the ground when Pouncey seemed to deliver at least two punches and a kick to the helmet.
In his statement, Signora claimed that Pouncey and Ogunjobi had both been suspended indefinitely without pay “for their actions in Thursday night’s game.” Pouncey will be sidelined for three games and Ogunjobi for just one.
Within three business days, suspensions are appealable.
In a statement made public by the Browns on Friday, Garrett expressed regret and acknowledged he had made a “terrible mistake”.
“I lost my temper, and I did something inappropriate and self-centered. I understand that each of us is accountable for the deeds we do and
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Antonio Brown’s troubled history: benched by the Steelers, suspended, and released by the Buccaneers
When Antonio Brown was signed by the Buccaneers, Bruce Arians was clear that the player would not be given a second chance if he caused any trouble in Tampa Bay.
“After making a mistake once, he disappears,” Arians stated in October 2020.
Brown’s first calendar year with the Buccaneers was trouble-free. However, by the end of the 2021 NFL season, he had become well-known for all the wrong reasons, which resulted in his sudden dismissal from the team during a victory against the Jets in Week 17.
That comes as no great surprise. Brown’s career was marred by his antics and featured off-field conflicts with the Steelers, as well as stints with the Bills, Raiders, and Patriots before joining the Buccaneers.
This timeline examines Brown’s legal issues, his history of suspensions, his moves between teams, and more.
MORE: Information on the lawsuit involving Antonio Brown
December 30, 2018: The Steelers bench Antonio Brown
Prior to the last week of the 2018 campaign, Brown’s main claim to fame was his successful receiving seasons with the Steelers. Go grab a hundred passes, then clean, rinse, and repeat.
Wednesday was Brown’s “rest day” heading into Week 17. Then, with what was described as a knee ailment, he missed the remainder of the week of practice. That Sunday, Brown did not play for Pittsburgh in their game, and head coach Mike Tomlin explained that his benching was because of “injury and lack of information.” It was later reported that Brown was upset that JuJu Smith-Schuster had been chosen team MVP and that he had thrown a football at Ben Roethlisberger during the week.
After being found guilty of careless driving, Brown met with Art Rooney II, the owner of the Steelers, two weeks later. They decided to split up. In the event of a trade, the Steelers made it apparent that they would demand fair market value for Brown.
Antonio Brown to the Bills on March 7, 2019?
It appeared for one brief moment that Brown would become a Buffalo Bill.
There were rumors that Josh Allen, a rookie quarterback, would trade for Brown and sign with Buffalo. The rumors were promptly denied, and Brown called the announcement of the transaction on Instagram “fake news.”
Raiders acquire Antonio Brown on March 10, 2019.
In order to acquire Brown, the Oakland Raiders had to transfer their third and fifth round picks to the Steelers.
Brown inked a three-year, $50 million contract with the Raiders, nearly instantly making him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL. Of the contract, an estimated $30 million was guaranteed.
Brown walked barefoot into a cryotherapy machine. For the uninitiated, cryotherapy treats ailments by using intense cold or ice.
On August 3, Brown shared a photo of his broken feet to social media, and on Hard Knocks, he was heard stating, “I got circumcised on my feet.” Brown’s foot problems upon arriving at his first Raiders camp hindered his ability to get started right away.
Brown was unable to continue playing with the helmet he had worn throughout his whole career due to changes in NFL helmet safety regulations. The problem took almost a month to be fixed.
There were rumors of Brown threatening to quit, complaints being made, and Brown spray-painting his old helmet, among other dramatic events. By early September, Brown had selected a new helmet that he described as “agile and comfortable.”
Brown’s failure to show up for team practices cost him around $54,000. He expressed his disapproval on Instagram by posting the letter.
According to reports, Brown got upset with general manager Mike Mayock and had to be restrained, which is why he yelled at him. ESPN’s Josina Anderson claims that Brown referred to Mayock as a “cracker” on multiple occasions. The Raiders started investigating ways to have Brown released and avoid having to pay him the guaranteed $30 million that he was due after the event. Coach Jon Gruden said the next day that Brown would suit up against the Broncos in Week 1.
Additionally, Brown made public a tape of a private phone call between himself and Gruden; the video has since been removed from YouTube. Brown was heard stating on the video, “Man, I’ve been trying to be a Raider since day one.”
Gruden announced on Instagram that Brown would play in Week 1, and less than a day later, Brown asked for a release. Brown’s guaranteed money was avoided by the Raiders by fining him for actions that were damaging to the team. Brown was cut by the Raiders on September 7.
Brown was quickly signed by the Patriots, who agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $15 million that included a $9 million signing bonus. When Brown initially got to town, Tom Brady, the quarterback for New England, helped house him.
On this day in federal court, Britney Taylor, Brown’s former trainer, filed a lawsuit accusing him of raping her. According to the lawsuit, Taylor was the victim of three separate incidents of sexual assault by Brown in 2017 and 2018.
The NFL opened an inquiry into the situation. The lawsuit has not been settled as of November 2020.
Brown participated in just one Patriots game. With four receptions, he gained 56 yards and a touchdown. On his first drive, Brown made three of his four catches for New England.
A second woman accused Brown of having sex with her a few days after his Patriots debut. It has been stated that Brown replied by texting that woman with threats.
On September 20, Brown was cut by the Patriots as the NFL looked into the various accusations made against him.
The NFL suspended Brown for eight games in January 2020, but it wasn’t because of the accusations of sexual assault. He was not acting in accordance with the NFL’s code of conduct.
Brown’s arrest in January for attacking the driver of a moving company vehicle led to the suspension. After being charged with felony assault and battery in March, Brown was also charged with misdemeanor battery, misdemeanor criminal mischief, and car burglary.
Brown inked a contract with the Buccaneers for the balance of the 2020 campaign. Brown is expected to get a maximum compensation of $2.5 million in 2020, the majority of which will come from incentives. His base pay would be approximately $750K prorated.
Although Brown was only on the roster for one of the eight weeks, Tampa Bay signed him prior to Week 8, which he would miss while serving the final game of an eight-game ban that was calculated for each week of the season.
In Week 9, Brown made a comeback to the practice field before the Bucs’ “Sunday Night Football” matchup with the Saints. His prime-time debut is scheduled for later in the season.
Depending on his playing style and condition, Brown may see 10 or 35 plays, according to Bucs coach Bruce Arians.
Following allegations from Brown’s personal chef that he had provided the NFL with a forged vaccination card, the league opened an investigation into Brown’s immunization history. The league punished him for three games for lying about his immunization status after concluding that the accusations made against him and his teammate Mike Edwards were true.
The Buccaneers were rumored to cut Brown because Arians had previously declared, “He screws up once, he’s gone.”
But after the incident, Arians and the Bucs made the decision to keep him.
He stated, “It’s in the best interest of our football team,” as reported by Greg Auman of The Athletic. “Both of those guys have served their time and we’ll welcome them back.”plays.
After rejoining the Bucs, Brown was questioned several times about his suspension. After his return, he repeatedly declined and said that reporters were bringing up “drama.”
Brown remarked, “You guys, it’s all drama.” It’s all football, really. We are here to discuss Carolina, or I would rather not speak with you people.”
After the Bucs’ Week 17 matchup with the Jets, Antonio Brown made an odd exit from the field. Seen conversing with Mike Evans while wearing his jersey, he was on the bench. Subsequently, he tore off his undershirt, gloves, pads, and jersey before throwing his shirt into the crowd.
Brown ran shirtless to the Bucs locker room after that. He jumped up and down in the end zone, then raced across the field and gave the Jets fans a peace sign.
Arians said following the game that Brown’s tenure as a Buccaneer was over.
He declared, “He is no longer a Buc.” “That’s the end of the story, let’s talk about the guys that went out there and won the game.”
Editor’s note: Since it was first published on November 23, 2020, this article has been revised.
With assistance from Jacob Camenker.
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