Running backs around the NFL are universally expressing their anger at the disrespect given to their comrades who carry the ball. All three of the league’s franchise tagged players this season are running backs: the Giants’ Saquon Barkley, the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, and the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard all will have to play this season under one-year contracts or sit out the season. None of them reached long-term contract agreements ahead of the four o’clock deadline yesterday afternoon. Pollard signed his one-year contract. Barkley and Jacobs did not.
The Steelers’ Najee Harris says the notion that running backs deserve less money than other players in the NFL “is a joke.”
This offseason, star running backs Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook, and Karim Hunt have all been released and have not signed with other teams. Joe Mixon of the Bengals and Aaron Jones of the Packers took pay cuts to stay with their teams.
Another star running back, former Steeler Le’veon Bell, has apologized to Steelers fans for leaving the team in 2018. Bell was franchise tagged by the Steelers in 2018 after having played under the tag the previous year, but he chose to sit out the season. In 2019 he signed with the Jets and has bounced around since then, playing for the Jets, Chiefs, Ravens, and Bucs. Bell said in his apology, “…I should never have left. I apologize. That’s my fault. That’s on me.” Bell is out of football now and trying to establish a career as a boxer.
