Steelers fans ponder about franchise’s state with Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell after RB’s recent comments 

The Steelers are unquestionably one of the most successful franchises in NFL history. They've had many all-time players throughout their time in the league. Two of those great players were running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown. Bell spent five seasons with the team while Brown was there for nine.

Recently, Bell admitted on the Steel Here podcast that he should've signed a contract extension with the franchise instead of holding out. The two-time All-Pro missed the entire 2018 season over the contract dispute.

Pittsburgh fans took to Twitter to wonder what if Bell and Brown stayed with the team:

Other Pittsburgh Steelers fans commented on head coach Mike Tomlin's dealings with Antonio Brown in his time with the team:

Bell said on the same podcast that the contract that was rumored on social media was not the actual number he was offered by the Steelers. The exact number was lower, as per the former NFL star.

Per Jenny Vrentas of Sports Illustrated, Bell almost came back to the Steelers when the team offered a $70 million deal over five years.

The former Michigan State star was looking for a contract worth $15 million a year from the Steelers in 2017. Pittsburgh offered short of what Bell wanted, leading to the holdout. He also rejected an opportunity to play under the franchise tag for a second straight season in 2018.

In his five seasons with Pittsburgh, Bell racked up 5,336 yards and 38 touchdowns on 1,229 carries. Brown had a stellar career with the team, getting 837 yards, 11,207 yards, and 74 touchdowns. He led the NFL in yards and receptions twice in his time in Pittsburgh.

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Where did Bell and Brown land after leaving the Steelers?

Following Bell's departure from Pittsburgh, he signed with the New York Jets on a four-year deal in 2019. Yet the running back played over a year with the team before his release. He landed with the Kansas City Chiefs the following season for nine games and with the Jets for two games.

In 2021, Bell played eight games for two teams: five with the Baltimore Ravens and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brown was traded by Pittsburgh to the Raiders but never played a regular-season game for them. He played just one game for the New England Patriots in 2019 before joining the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season.

His final game in the NFL came in Week 17 of the 2021 season when he abruptly left the game against the Jets.