Le’Veon Bell took aim at the Steelers on Thursday, accusing the franchise of treating Black stars differently than White ones after another headline-grabbing roster shakeup in Pittsburgh.
Bell’s comments came in the wake of the team’s decision to move cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday. The deal sent Porter to Dallas for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder after he did not play a snap for Pittsburgh this season during a dispute tied to what both he and the Steelers called a back injury.
Bell, who once starred for the Steelers before a contract standoff ended his Pittsburgh run, made clear he sees a pattern.
“I wish pittsburgh paid their black superstars they drafted just like they pay their white ones they draft .. hate to see porter get traded .. I thought same thing with (George Pickens)? TJ Watt is worth every penny tho, so let’s not get it confused .. but something needs to change,” Bell posted on X.
I wish pittsburgh paid their black superstars they drafted just like they pay their white ones they draft .. hate to see porter get traded .. I thought same thing with pickens? TJ Watt is worth every penny tho, so let’s not get it confused .. but something needs to change
- Le’Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) October 1, 2026
Bell’s post also pointed to George Pickens, another player he believes fit the same mold. The Steelers, though, have also handed out significant money to Black players they’ve drafted or acquired, including a recent extension for veteran Cam Heyward, plus lucrative deals for defensive back Jalen Ramsey and wide receiver DK Metcalf after those two arrived via trade.
The Steelers ended up moving on from both Porter and Pickens, with both players going to Dallas. Whether that proves to be the right call will play out later, but the moves themselves do not appear to have been driven by race.
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