The Steelers wasted little time in getting rid of LeGarrette Blount, releasing the veteran running back less than 24 hours after he left the field before the end of Pittsburgh's victory Monday against the Titans.
<cite>Al Bello/Getty Images</cite>LeGarrette Blount reportedly left the field before the end of Monday's game against Tennessee.
"We believe the decision to release LeGarrette is in the best interest of the organization and wish him the best of luck," coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday afternoon in a statement released by the Steelers.
According to media reports, Steelers defensive assistant Joey Porter saw Blount leaving early Monday night for the team bus and called him back into the locker room several times. Blount went back in briefly but left again before his teammates had begun postgame interviews.
"If you don't want to be here, don't be here," Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey told reporters on Tuesday. "He had a decision to make as a man and he made it. You know the consequences."
Safety Mike Mitchell defended Blount's character but said the running back didn't handle this situation properly.
"I actually know him and a lot of people don't know him. He is not a selfish guy at all," he said. "He is a competitive guy who wants to be on the field, wants to win games, wants to help us win games. It's a bad perception I think he gets a lot of times, but he has to be smarter in that situation."
Blount, who signed a two-year, $3.85 million contract with the Steelers in March, played only a couple of snaps against the Titans. He did not receive a carry in a game for the first time this season as the Steelers leaned heavily on Le'Veon Bell, who rushed for a career-high 204 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries.
Blount rushed for 266 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 11 games with the Steelers, but his role in the offense decreased as Bell emerged as one of the top running backs in the NFL.
The release of Blount leaves Bell and rookie Dri Archer, who has played sparingly, as the only running backs on the 53-man roster. To immediately replace Blount on the roster, the Steelers promoted running back Josh Harris from the practice squad.
There are a handful of veteran running backs who are free agents and could be signed to fill the void left by Blount's release.
But running back Ben Tate, who was waived by the Browns on Tuesday after falling out of favor in Cleveland, has not drawn any interest from the Steelers, a source told ESPN.
Blount had been with his fourth team in five NFL seasons, and he missed most of his senior season at Oregon for punching an opposing player.
Blount and Bell were arrested in August for misdemeanor marijuana possession after they were pulled over on the way to Pittsburgh International Airport for a team flight to Philadelphia for a preseason game.
Bell was also charged with driving under the influence, and Tomlin said the two would be punished internally. The eighth-year coach never disclosed how he punished the two running backs, and neither Bell nor Blount missed any playing time.
Only Blount's $950,000 signing bonus was guaranteed. He will only count for $475,000 against the Steelers' salary cap in 2015.
<cite>Al Bello/Getty Images</cite>LeGarrette Blount reportedly left the field before the end of Monday's game against Tennessee."We believe the decision to release LeGarrette is in the best interest of the organization and wish him the best of luck," coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday afternoon in a statement released by the Steelers.
According to media reports, Steelers defensive assistant Joey Porter saw Blount leaving early Monday night for the team bus and called him back into the locker room several times. Blount went back in briefly but left again before his teammates had begun postgame interviews.
"If you don't want to be here, don't be here," Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey told reporters on Tuesday. "He had a decision to make as a man and he made it. You know the consequences."
Safety Mike Mitchell defended Blount's character but said the running back didn't handle this situation properly.
"I actually know him and a lot of people don't know him. He is not a selfish guy at all," he said. "He is a competitive guy who wants to be on the field, wants to win games, wants to help us win games. It's a bad perception I think he gets a lot of times, but he has to be smarter in that situation."
Blount, who signed a two-year, $3.85 million contract with the Steelers in March, played only a couple of snaps against the Titans. He did not receive a carry in a game for the first time this season as the Steelers leaned heavily on Le'Veon Bell, who rushed for a career-high 204 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries.
Blount rushed for 266 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 11 games with the Steelers, but his role in the offense decreased as Bell emerged as one of the top running backs in the NFL.
The release of Blount leaves Bell and rookie Dri Archer, who has played sparingly, as the only running backs on the 53-man roster. To immediately replace Blount on the roster, the Steelers promoted running back Josh Harris from the practice squad.
There are a handful of veteran running backs who are free agents and could be signed to fill the void left by Blount's release.
But running back Ben Tate, who was waived by the Browns on Tuesday after falling out of favor in Cleveland, has not drawn any interest from the Steelers, a source told ESPN.
Blount had been with his fourth team in five NFL seasons, and he missed most of his senior season at Oregon for punching an opposing player.
Blount and Bell were arrested in August for misdemeanor marijuana possession after they were pulled over on the way to Pittsburgh International Airport for a team flight to Philadelphia for a preseason game.
Bell was also charged with driving under the influence, and Tomlin said the two would be punished internally. The eighth-year coach never disclosed how he punished the two running backs, and neither Bell nor Blount missed any playing time.
Only Blount's $950,000 signing bonus was guaranteed. He will only count for $475,000 against the Steelers' salary cap in 2015.
