BEREA, Ohio — Le’Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers are at odds, battling and bickering over money. It’s a football family fight.
The Browns won’t play peacemakers.
“They can beat each other up for all we care,” Cleveland Coach Hue Jackson said. “It does not matter.”
But Bell’s absence from Sunday’s season opener between the AFC North neighbors could have a major impact on Cleveland’s chances of ending a 17-game losing streak – and perhaps infuse a little life into a dormant rivalry.
Bell still hasn’t joined his teammates as the Pro Bowl running back continues his holdout for a new contract. The stare-down between the sides has reached a critical juncture – and either a breaking or turning point – as the Steelers are days away from opening a new season.
When the 26-year-old Bell neither reported to the team or signed his $14.5 million one-year contract tender earlier this week, several of the team’s offensive linemen voiced their displeasure toward a player they normally do all they can to protect.
“Here’s a guy who doesn’t give a damn, so I guess we’ll treat it as such,” veteran guard Ramon Foster said. “I just hate it came to this.”
Bell’s response to his teammates’ comments on Instragram – Whoa.
JETS: The Jets could be without a few starters in their season opener.
Wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, safety Marcus Maye and outside linebacker Josh Martin all sat out practice with injuries.
Kearse, Maye and Martin are all projected starters for the Jets, who open their season Monday night at Detroit. The team, which released its first injury report of the week on Thursday, has two more days of full practices.
COWBOYS: Travis Frederick says he was relieved to know what was wrong when he was diagnosed with a nerve disorder, even though the four-time Pro Bowl center faces an uncertain recovery.
Frederick said in his first meeting with reporters since the diagnosis that doctors “can’t even begin to predict how this is going to work.” The 27-year-old has Guillain-Barre syndrome, a condition that affects the nervous system and leads to weakness in various parts of the body.
• The Cowboys say they are the first NFL team to have a sponsorship agreement with a casino.
The deal with WinStar World Casino and Resort in Oklahoma was announced Thursday.
GIANTS: Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey has revealed he has been undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer.
McGaughey, 45, says he has Periampullary cancer. It is a bile duct cancer located near the small intestine.
McGaughey has been receiving oral medication and chemotherapy. He is now on his fifth round with a couple more left.
CHARGERS: Defensive end Joey Bosa did not practice, leaving his status for the opener against Kansas City in doubt.
Bosa was not in pads during the early portion of practice that is open to reporters after being listed as limited on Wednesday’s practice report. The third-year player did not play in the preseason after he injured his left foot on Aug. 7.
GUILTY PLEA: Former Cleveland linebacker Mychal Kendricks pleaded guilty to insider trading charges in a Philadelphia courtroom.
Kendricks faces up to 25 years in prison when he’s sentenced in December.
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