The Pittsburgh Steelers placed running back Le’Veon Bell on their Reserve/Injured list Monday due to a right knee injury that he suffered Sunday in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. However, head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday during his weekly press conference that while Bell will have surgery at some point, the ACL in his right knee has been determined to still be intact.
“We haven’t talked openly about the plan or course of action is for him regarding surgery,” said Tomlin of Bell. “I think he’s meeting with a team of doctors and our medical staff maybe this afternoon or this morning. Really no timetable there. Obviously at this point in the game, we’re going to do what’s right and appropriate and take really good care of him.”
Tomlin elaborated later on what the course of action with Bell will be moving forward.
“They’re not trying to figure out what do, they just want to have a conference and discuss the options and set a timetable in which to do it,” said Tomlin.
Bell tore his right MCL in the second quarter of Sunday’s game when tackled along the Steelers sideline by Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. When asked Tuesday if he thought Burfict’s tackle was legal, Tomlin said he thought it was.
Bell will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2016. The former second-round draft pick rushed for 556 yards and 3 touchdowns on 113 carries before going down injured.
