Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell will miss Sunday's season opener against the
Cleveland Browns, according to multiple reports.
Bell did not report by Saturday's 4 p.m. ET deadline as the team left for Cleveland. James Conner is expected to start in his place, and Bell will lose $853,000 by not playing.
Bell, who is seeking a long-term deal, skipped offseason activities for the second consecutive year amid failed contract talks and has yet to show up. That has prompted teammates to question his allegiance.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told reporters last week that Bell is "the best in the business" but noted that the Steelers' "offense is more than one guy."
Bell, who led the NFL with 321 carries and 406 touches in 2017, was scheduled to earn $14.54 million this season, the second in a row that he was set to play under the franchise tag.
Bell's agent, Adisa Bakari, has suggested the all-pro running back is willing to stay away from the team for a long time.
In a recent interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Bakari put the onus on the Steelers to get a deal done.