UPDATE: The Pittsburgh Steelers have released LeGarrette Blount.
A good teammate takes enjoyment in other people's success. He does not storm off the field before the game has ended, and then leave the locker room before his teammates arrive.
But that is exactly what Pittsburgh Steelers running back LeGarrette Blount did last night. Starting rusher Le'Veon Bell had the best game of his career, racking up 222 combined yards and a touchdown. Blount, meanwhile, did not receive a single carry. Blount walked off the field in frustration before the game had ended and departed the locker room before any of his teammates came back.
Apparently, this is not the first behavioral issue the Steelers have seen from Blount.
"Blount has been an internal problem for at least a month for the Steelers and sources told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he is dragging down star halfback Le'Veon Bell, even though that obviously was not the case Monday night when Bell ran 33 times for 204 yards," wrote Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
While the Steelers seemed to be fed up with Blount's antics, cutting him outright poses several issues.
ESPN's Scott Brown explains:
"The problem with the math when it comes to cutting Blount before the end of this season is the Steelers simply don't have many bodies -- or options -- at running back. Rookie Dri Archer is the No. 3 back behind Bell and Blount and the scatback has played so sparingly that he is averaging just over one carry per game. ... if Bell were to go down for an injury for an extended period of time and the Steelers had only Archer in reserve -- and whatever back they signed off the street if they released Blount -- the season might go with him. The short-term risk may just be worth it in the long run considering the message it would send. But it is probably not one the Steelers are willing to take just yet because they are 7-4 and just percentage points out of first place in the AFC North. Blount, however, can probably count on some terse words from coach Mike Tomlin, a fine of some sort and maybe even a suspension unless he has some plausible explanation for why he left the field early. Tomlin also can point out that even though Blount's days in Pittsburgh are probably numbered, he better be on his best behavior the rest of the season. Blount, after all, is going to have to convince yet another team to take a chance on him. The only question is when that time will come."
Teams have been concerned with Blount's character ever since he struck an opposing player following a loss when he was at Oregon.
The 27-year-old rusher has gained 2,954 yards on a 4.7 average, and scored 22 touchdowns on the ground in his career. Should he be released, running back-needy teams, such as the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars, could emerge as potential landing spots.
