USA Today Sports

Le’Veon Bell has declined to sign the Steelers’ franchise tender, so he won’t be playing football for Pittsburgh this season.

Bell is no longer eligible to play the remainder of this season, and he will qualify for free agency in March.

The Steelers will have the option to designate Bell as their franchise player again this offseason,” Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported. The one-year salary tied to Bell’s third straight franchise tag is expected to exceed $25 million, a payout believed to be far too prohibitive for a Pittsburgh return.”

Bell has earned $16,038,194 from contracts in his five NFL seasons, all with Pittsburgh.