Le'Veon Bell accuses Pittsburgh Steelers of racial bias in comparing treatment of Black and White draftees

Bell, who played for the Steelers from 2013-17, saw his former team trade cornerback Joey Porter Jr.to the Dallas Cowboys overnight after a contract dispute and decided it was all about race.Because Porter is Black.No, seriously.Then-Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell in a game for the black and yellow in November 2018.

(Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Spors)JERRY JONES GOES ALL IN AS COWBOYS TRADE FOR STEELERS' JOEY PORTER JR IN HOPES OF SUPER BOWL PUSH"I wish Pittsburgh paid their black superstars they drafted just like they pay their white ones they draft," Bell posted on X on Thursday afternoon." ...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."Now, Bell has said some wild stuff in the past.

But someone needs to jar Bell's memory and adjust his grasp of facts to get him off this race-baiting narrative.Bell, you see, is not an honest broker.He was drafted in the second round by the Steelers in 2013 and after three 1,000-yard-plus seasons, the Steelers tried to pay him.

A lot.And that led to a contract dispute that ultimately ended his career in Pittsburgh.But before that happened, the Steelers offered to pay him $70 million on a five-year contract before the 2018 season.That offer from eight years ago, before the NFL salary cap jumped seven times, would be competitive with most running back contracts today.Pittsburgh Steelers player Le'Veon Bell signs autographs during AFC team practice for the Pro Bowl at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Fla., on Jan.

25, 2018.(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)But Bell, who has admitted he came close to accepting the offer, ultimately turned it down based on his desire for greater guarantees.Those details aren't primary.

What matters is that Bell lived through a negotiation where he, as a Black Steelers draft pick, was offered a lucrative contract by the Steelers.And still on Thursday...