Bell: 'No more excuses' for Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers own one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, yet, for all their individual success, they haven't won a conference championship since 2010.
More recently, the Steelers' season ended in the wild-card round in 2014, the divisional round in 2015, and in the conference title game last season, all for varying reasons.
Star running back Le'Veon Bell missed the '14 wild-card game with a knee injury, Bell and receiver Antonio Brown missed the '15 playoff exit, and Bell was injured in the first quarter of the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots last year.
"We feel like we haven't finished what we started last year. It was a crazy run. We go into the AFC championship game without all the players we need and I ended up going down and it cost us," Bell said to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"We're at full strength. There's no more excuses now."
Bell may be fresh and healthy, but Brown is rehabbing from a calf injury he suffered in Week 15 and inside linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a spinal injury in Week 13.
Bell's message is loud and clear, however: The time is now for Pittsburgh to capitalize on its opportunities.