Report: Steelers made last-ditch attempt to get Bell to show before deadline

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Le'Veon Bell made late attempts to reach an agreement that would see the star rusher report before Tuesday's franchise tag deadline, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Bell would've considered reporting to the team if Pittsburgh was willing to decline using its franchise or transition tag on him after this season, Schefter reports, but the Steelers declined that request.

Bell failed to report by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, voiding the $14.5-million contract he would've earned via the franchise tag and rendering him out for the remainder of the season.

There remains a very real possibility the Steelers use their transition tag on Bell as a means of giving the team a chance to match any offer sheet he receives from other teams in the offseason, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.