Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell’s suspension has been reduced from three games to two as a result of a settlement between the NFL and NFL Players Association, the league has confirmed.
An NFL spokesperson said Tuesday in a statement that Bell has been suspended without pay for the first two games of the regular season. The All-Pro running back had initially been handed a three-game ban in connection with his August arrest on DUI and marijuana charges following a traffic stop with then-teammate LeGarrette Blount.
The 23-year-old Ohio native pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 15 months of probation and entered into a diversion program.
“Le’Veon made a mistake and now he must learn from his mistake and focus on eliminating distractions from his life,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to work with Le’Veon to try to help him reach his full potential as a person and as a player.”
Bell will be eligible to return to Pittsburgh’s active roster on 21 September following the team’s Week 2 game against the San Francisco 49ers.
He is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign that saw him carry 290 times for 1361 yards and eight touchdowns, while making 83 receptions for 854 yards and three additional scores.
