LeVeon Bell is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy via missed drug tests, and the Steelers running back is planning his defense.
Bell told the media Thursday he plans to appeal the suspension "sometime in August" and that he was notified of a missed test and his suspension in March, according to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that Bell's appeal will not be heard until the second week of August.
"I don't want to be a distraction to my teammates or to Steelers Nation," Bell added. "So I'm just going to keep moving forward and let everything handle itself."
The appeals process is bound to interrupt Bell's rehab from his season-ending knee injury, but the running back added he was confident that he'd be ready for the start of the season, whether or not he's suspended. There have been lots of reports about why Bell missed the test, one of which he changed his cell number.
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