‘I’d smoke and run 150 yards’: Bell says he used marijuana before NFL games

Former Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets running back Le’Veon Bell says he smoked marijuana before playing some NFL games during his career.

“That’s what I did,” Bell told Barstool Sports’ Steel Here podcast on Friday. “When I was playing football, I smoked, bro. Even before the games, I’d smoke and I’d go out there and run for 150 [yards], two [touchdowns].”

Jersey Jerry, who co-hosts the podcast with Kevin Adams, then asked: “In the NFL?”

“Yeah,” said the 31-year-old Bell, who hasn’t played in the league since the 2021 season.

Bell was suspended twice for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy while he played for the Steelers. However, since then the league and players have reached a new collective bargaining agreement. Players are fined rather than suspended for their first three positive tests for marijuana. The league does also not test players during the offseason.

He began his professional career in Pittsburgh in 2013 and became one of the league’s most dynamic and productive players. Bell was a one-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection as a dual threat out of the Steelers’ backfield.

He sat out the 2018 season because of a contract dispute after refusing to sign the franchise tag Pittsburgh used on him for a second straight year. Bell told the podcast the Steelers wanted to guarantee only his first year of a potential extension, but he wanted more than that.

“Yeah, it was a little petty, the little guarantee stuff,” Bell said. “I’m thinking like, damn, could I have really just ate it? Yeah, I probably could’ve. Probably could’ve really ate it.”

Bell signed a four-year, $52.5m contract, including $35m guaranteed, with the New York Jets the following offseason.

But his tenure with the Jets was