Steelers' Tomlin hopeful Bell deal will be done by deadline
The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly making progress toward locking up star running back Le'Veon Bell in advance of Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for a multi-year extension.
Count Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin among those hoping for an agreement.
"Obviously we want to get the deal done," Tomlin told WAVY TV 10's Bruce Rader on Friday. "He wants to get the deal done. Everybody has said that. Now it's just about the negotiators getting in the room, and doing what it is they need to do. I'm excited and hopeful. Hopefully we'll have some exciting news Monday."
Related - Bell confident he'll reach deal with Steelers: 'We're working on it'
Bell is currently slated to play the 2018 season under the franchise tag, which will pay him a fully guaranteed $14.544 million.
The NFL's third-leading rusher from the 2017 campaign has persistently attempted to land a long-term deal, though that kind of contract has become a rarity for even the league's best running backs.
Bell was placed under the franchise tag for the first time last offseason. After he and the Steelers couldn't agree on an extension by the 2017 deadline, he skipped training camp, opting to work out on his own before reporting to the team's facility on Sept. 1.
- With h/t to Pro Football Talk