Getty Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs
Running back Le’Veon Bell became the NFL’s most sought-after player earlier this week when it was announced that the New York Jets released the 28-year-old. As speculation looms about which franchise he’ll take his talents to next, the Kansas City Chiefs are rumored to be one of his final landing spot. When asked about whether he’d welcome the former Pittsburgh Steeler to the Kingdom, franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes had this to say:
Patrick Mahomes declined to make a recruiting pitch to Le’Veon Bell, saying, “I leave that stuff up to Veach . . . Whoever’s in this locker room we make sure they’re ready to go to make plays on Sunday.”
“I leave that stuff up to Veach … Whoever’s in this locker room we make sure they’re ready to go to make plays on Sunday,” ESPN NFL reporter Adam Teicher noted Wednesday afternoon. Per his colleague Jeremy Fowler, Bell and his team are “prioritizing role in offense and chances to win” as catalyst for his next team.
Le’Veon Bell prioritizing role in offense and chances to win among part of his free agency evaluation. Many people around league believe Chiefs will have interest because of fit. Bell trains in Miami so perhaps Dolphins a consideration.
Mahomes and Bell Recently Followed Each Other on Twitter
It might not mean much to some, but social media follows might be some indication of whether or not you might be welcoming a new teammate. For disgruntled players, they may want to wash the stain of a past team away and unfollow all their mates. For others, recent follows perhaps indicate some sort of interaction unbeknownst to the rest of the media and fans.
In any case, it’s worth noting that Bell and Mahomes just hit each other with the follow button on Twitter, as noted by Sports Illustrated’s Michael Fabiano.
It might mean nothing, but Le’Veon Bell just followed Patrick Mahomes on Twitter…
Kansas City definitely have an indomitable offense, and rookie RB Clye Edwards-Helaire has lived up to early expectations. But after suffering their first loss of the season against divisional rivals the Las Vegas Raiders, it’s understandable why they might be interested in recruiting one more force in their pursuit of a third Super Bowl title.
Was Chris Jones Recruiting Bell on Twitter?
While Mahomes was coy with his response, DT Chris Jones was somewhat more direct with his social media messaging. Shortly after the news broke, Jones hopped on Twitter and mentioned Bell with no other context.
Keep in mind, this isn’t the first time Jones has actively pitched Bell’s services to Arrowhead. Shortly before Bell finalized his 5-year, $52.5 million contract with the Jets, Jones again used Twitter as a vehicle to push for Bell’s addition to his side.
This back-and-forth behavior isn’t new. In fact, Bell revealed that at one point, he was in talks with Kansas City for trade offers.
“There were teams like Houston, the Packers, the Kansas City Chiefs — and surprisingly the Steelers — [that] were all in the mix of trying to trade for me,” Bell told Nate Burleson in a SiriusXM interview. “And from what I heard — and I understand — was the Jets were really asking for a high price.”
Signing a three-time Pro Bowler to any team doesn’t come cheap, and Bell added that was one of the conflicts behind putting pen to paper.
“My actual contract was kind of tough for teams to deal with — which is understandable,” the former Michigan State Spartan said. “Not too many teams really want to pay that high of a price for a running back.”
The NFL trade deadline is scheduled for November 3, plenty of time for both sides to (potentially) come to an agreement.
READ MORE: Jets to Release Le’Veon Bell, Chiefs a Potential Landing Spot