Le'Veon Bell berates Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid
Former Kansas City Chiefs RB Le'Veon Bell recently had some choice words, referring to his old team. Bell signed with the Chiefs in Week 6 of 2020 and only had 63 carries during the year for 253 yards and two TDs. He wasn't even on the field during the Super Bowl against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Le'Veon Bell recently dropped a comment on Instagram stating, "I'll never play for Andy Reid again, I'd retire first." The comment apparently came from a question he was asked on Instagram, referring to a return to the Chiefs.
Le'Veon Bell vs Andy Reid and the Chiefs
The comment was bizarre and happened on a slow news day in the NFL, turning it into a feature story the following day. Le'Veon Bell took to Twitter to follow up on his comment with the following tirade:
Bell did not deny commenting and doubled down on it. He went beyond that to call out head coach Andy Reid and no one else. Le'Veon Bell had no beef with the culture, the city, or any teammates and it all centered around the coach. Eventually, Andy Reid was asked about the situation and responded with a quick comment:
"I enjoyed my time with him. I appreciated the way he handled things and did his business. He had some productive downs for us. But I'm pulling for him in the future. That's how I roll. People say things. They say stuff. I move on and wish him the best."
The whole drama story should have stopped there, right? Instead, Le'Veon Bell fired back with a comment, "lol that's a cap." He implied that Reid was lying or beating around the bush to save face with the media.
The situation reached new heights when Bell's former teammate, safety Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu, entered the word melee:
"These fellas will blame everyone for their lack of success. That's how I know I'm built different."
The soap opera drama story has settled over the last few days and it allows us to look back on the whole ordeal.
Former Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy joined the Chiefs in 2019 and was productive throughout the regular season. He ended up being benched in the playoffs but understood the situation and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in the end. There was no foul play or negativity from McCoy towards the team or staff.
Reid's decision to sign Le'Veon Bell when the New York Jets cut him in Week 5 of the 2020 season could have been a similar story. He took a chance on a once-elite RB to see what he had left in the tank.
There's a possible side to the story where Le'Veon Bell was hoping for a much larger role, especially in the playoffs, and is unhappy with the way he was used. Maybe Andy Reid did indeed make a false promise to Bell, but the former seems more likely.
Le'Veon Bell left Pittsburgh on bad terms and declined enough to be cut from a big contract with the Jets midway through the season. He's definitely been a shell of his former self.
At this rate, which NFL team would take a chance on him? If a top contender loses their lead back to injury down the stretch, there are minimal options with free agents right now and Bell could get another shot. But currently, it seems unlikely that Bell would find a team to give him a chance.