Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 569

Chapter 569: 568 Both Friend and Foe Chapter 569: 568 Both Friend and Foe Le’Veon Bell admitted that when he last contacted Li Wei after a game, he had a personal interest in mind.

He was frustrated for the entire season due to being forced to sign the franchise tag contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers and knew that he might again face negotiation problems during the offseason.

He needed to unite more strength to truly make the voices of running backs heard.

At that time, Bell hadn’t anticipated that Li Wei would actually make it to the end and ultimately succeed.

He reached out to Li Wei purely because of the young man’s Chinese heritage and the backing of Goodell, hoping this could gain additional attention and public support for the running backs.

Likewise, Bell didn’t expect that Li Wei would actually stand up and be willing to go to such lengths, even outdoing Gurley, who had quietly kept his tail between his legs after renewing with the Los Angeles Rams, showing an air of detachment and being of no help at all.

Who could have imagined that a casual, thoughtless act could eventually develop into a camaraderie of fighting side by side and truly changing one’s predicament?

...

This was something Bell hadn’t been able to feel in the Steelers’ locker room, proving once more the influence of a leader on a team’s character and atmosphere.

Now, Bell understood why T.J.

Watt couldn’t stop praising Li Wei.

However—

Everything was as Li Wei had expected, they were facing a league-wide trend representing billions and billions in profits, not something one or two running backs could change on their own.

Relying on just Bell was not enough.

Running backs needed to continue to build momentum and change public opinion starting from the playing field.

For now, the time hadn’t come, and Bell might be defeated again.

As the summer training camp ended, there was still no news of Bell re-signing.

Soon, the deadline of July 16th passed, meaning the Pittsburgh Steelers hadn’t changed their minds and had tagged Bell with the exclusive franchise tag for the second consecutive year.

But Bell still refused to sign.

The preseason kicked off, and Bell had yet to rejoin the team.

The situation was gradually sliding towards the abyss, with a foreboding feeling growing clearer.

And then, it happened—

“I won’t be playing.”

This message came from Bell.

With less than 48 hours before the kickoff of the 2018 regular season, Li Wei saw the message, and its meaning was clearer than ever.

At present, there was no media coverage, no official announcement from the Steelers, and no whispers from the league.

This meant that even if Li Wei wasn’t the first person Bell informed, he was one of the very few privy to such significant news.

Li Wei sighed softly.

He supported Bell, but he sincerely didn’t wish for things to escalate to this point.

There was a tragic heroicness to the act of a David against a Goliath, which was unbearably bitter.

Li Wei asked, “Is there no chance for reconciliation?”

Bell replied, “None.

If they’re ready to burn bridges, so can I.

At worst, I leave Pittsburgh and head to another team, even if it means taking a pay cut.

I just can’t swallow this pride; Pittsburgh doesn’t value me.”

Li Wei said, “Bell, you’re more experienced than me.

You should know that our performance also depends on the coach’s strategy.”

Like quarterbacks, running backs need tactical support from their coach.

Without the right coaching strategies, even the best players can’t perform well.

Just look at Foles in this year’s Super Bowl.

Reed is known as a ‘Quarterback Sorcerer’ because he can craft different tactical systems to suit different quarterbacks’ styles and types.

Similarly, the Kansas City Chiefs brought Burns out of retirement because he could tailor strategies for different running backs.

Tomlin, the head coach of the Steelers, is also such a tactical master, and Li Wei was worried that Bell might face difficulties after leaving Pittsburgh.

Finding a coach who appreciates one’s talents and knows how to utilize them isn’t easy; many talents are buried this way.

Bell, “You should have believed me.”

Looking at the text message, its brief content made it clear that Bell was reluctant to elaborate, prompting Li Wei to sigh heavily as he swallowed the words that would have followed.

Li Wei, “No matter when, you are not facing the vast army alone.”

After pressing the send button, Li Wei set his phone aside.

Although Li Wei had known nothing about football in his previous life, and naturally had no way to know what would happen to Bell later, his understanding of the Professional League gave him an ominous premonition that things might not go in the direction the running backs were hoping for.

Ding.

A text message notification came, the screen lit up briefly:

Bell, “I’m ready.”

Then, the screen darkened again.

The next morning, a bombshell turned the entire League upside down.

Before people could get over the shock and thrill of the Green Bay Packers and Rodgers dramatically finalizing a new contract just before the start of the season, the contract situation for another top star took a wildly different direction, stirring up ripples with a scorched earth approach.

Bell announced that he would not participate in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ regular-season games.

From striking to boycotting games, Bell showed a resolute determination, preferring to shatter rather than bend, still refusing to sign the exclusive franchise tag contract.

And yet, more brutal and cold-hearted events were still to come.

The Pittsburgh Steelers gave no response, no condemnation of Bell, no discussion on contract negotiations, not even an official announcement confirming Bell’s absence from regular-season games.

Instead, they made another announcement:

James Conner, the running back selected in the third round, one hundred and fifth overall pick of the 2017 draft, would be the starter.

The attitude couldn’t be more direct—

Without Bell, the Earth still spins, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still advance.

Without a single word about Bell, the complete disregard treated him as if he were invisible, conveying a decisively thunderous stance.

Silence is louder than words.

This was the truest of tough decisions, a masterstroke.

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

The 2018 season, thus, began amidst noisy chaos and confusion.

The bustling discussions exploded into full-blown debates following brief pauses in the wake of successive shocks, leaving fans and the League alike completely astounded.

The reason was straightforward—

The season’s opening game featured the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers at Arrowhead Stadium.

Foes seem destined to come face to face.

In the eyes of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Li Wei and Hunter were provocateurs who loved to stir up trouble.

Without them fanning the flames, the negotiations between Bell and the team wouldn’t have escalated to such a point.

As a result, Bell’s strike and the Steelers’ tarnished image plummeted to rock bottom.

Li Wei: Do the Pittsburgh Steelers have an image to maintain?

Even he, a football novice, had heard rumors about Roethlisberger’s rough treatment of fans and his arrogant demeanor in the locker room.

Tomlin: Get lost!

Furthermore, reviving the grudge from last season’s divisional round, the entire Steelers organization had not taken the Kansas City Chiefs or the Jacksonville Jaguars seriously.

They had set their sights early on the AFC Championship game and a meeting with the New England Patriots, only to be embarrassingly sent packing in a double upset by these traditional powerhouses.

Old grievances and new hostilities surged to the forefront.

The fuse was lit!