Healing Bell will sit out Chiefs game

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Le’Veon Bell’s rehab from a sprained foot includes an exercise that requires the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back to pick up marbles with his toes.

“Nothing crazy,” Bell said with a laugh.

And, apparently, nothing serious either.

While Bell will sit out Saturday night’s exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs with a sprained right foot, the second-round pick isn’t worried about the injury extending well into the regular season.

“I’ve already been healing real quick,” Bell said Thursday. “As long as the process keeps going the way it is, I should be back pretty quick.”

Coach Mike Tomlin declined to put an exact timetable on Bell’s return but pointed to the fact surgery will not be required as an encouraging sign. Less than 72 hours after going down in the first quarter of a 24-13 loss to Washington, Bell can already put weight on it, though he did wear a walking boot into the locker room as a precaution.

It beats the cast being worn by tight end Matt Spaeth, who is dealing with a more significant version of the same injury. Spaeth is out at least two months after tearing the Lisfranc ligament in his left foot.

There are no such concerns for Bell, though the 48th overall pick in the draft is a bit mystified about his bumpy training camp.

The 21-year-old was a workhorse last fall at Michigan State, leading the nation with 383 carries. His durability is one of the main reasons the Steelers drafted him as the heir apparent to replace departed Rashard Mendenhall.

Instead he’ll watch from the sidelines for the second time in three weeks while Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman attempt to hold onto the starting job, at least temporarily.

“It gets a little frustrating at times,” Bell said. “It’s something I’m faced with. I’ll fight through it.”

Just don’t expect him to race through it.

Though Tomlin called all signs around Bell’s prognosis “positive” he’s not going to rush Bell out onto the field just to do it.

“We don’t have a long-range schedule,” Tomlin said. “At this point, we’ll treat it conservatively with rehabilitation.”

It’s the correct diagnosis, even if it’s not one Bell wants to hear. He averaged more than 30 touches a game during his last two seasons at Michigan State, touching the ball an average of 23 times a game.

Outside of the usual aches and pains, he’s never had so much as an ingrown toenail. Now he’s dealing with his third issues in as many weeks. He skipped the preseason opener against the New York Giants as a precaution after tweaking his left knee in practice. He aggravated the injury in practice but recovered in time to make his professional debut.

It was one that turned into little more than an extended cameo. Bell carried four times for nine yards while working with the first team, his night ending shortly after he felt an opponent fall onto his leg while he was trying to push the pile forward. Bell remained in for one more play before heading to the sideline.

When he took his cleats off, he couldn’t even put his foot on the ground. An MRI revealed the sprain, though the Steelers sought out a second opinion to confirm that he wouldn’t need surgery.

“It was great news,” Bell said.