Nothing's really changed to be quite honest with you. James Conner has cemented himself as a capable feature back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Le'Veon Bell is off somewhere on the sidelines preserving his health for his next potential suitor. Since he's been gone, the Steelers have gone through stretches of dysfunctional play, but overall it's been okay in 2018; they sit atop the AFC North with a 4-2-1 record, which doesn't reflect the strides they've taken on and off the field in Le'Veon Bell's absence. No one but the men inside the dressing room really know the particulars.
Today they are facing their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, in a game that started less than an hour ago. Before the matchup, ESPN's Dianna Russini caught up with Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin for a segment that would air on "Sunday NFL Countdown" 40 minutes before kickoff. In the interview, Mike Tomlin lambasted Bell for taking the team hostage, issuing a statement to all his personnel challenging their commitment to the cause.
"We haven’t spent a lot of time focused on it because it’s not within our control. Those decisions are Le’Veon’s. We need volunteers, not hostages," Tomlin said.
The Steelers are currently up 7 in the 2nd quarter.