Steelers' Rooney expects Bell to report before season starts

Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II is not anticipating his team's season to start without its star running back.

Having yet to sign his franchise tag or report to the team this summer, Le'Veon Bell has not directly given Rooney an ETA on his return, but the team owner is confident it will be before Sept. 10, when the Steelers start their season.

"He has not given any indication to anybody that he plans to hold out into the season," Rooney told Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Thursday. "But I don't think he's given (head coach) Mike (Tomlin) any day he's planning to come, either."

It was reported earlier Thursday that Bell won't miss any regular-season time, but Rooney is hoping the 25-year-old shows up before the eleventh hour.

"To be honest, I would hope that it’s next week (he reports) to give himself two weeks to get acclimated," Rooney said. "I don’t think it’s been a distraction to the team, so it’s really a matter of him getting here to get acclimated to being in pads, working with his teammates.

"There are advantages to be here practicing with your team."

It is unlikely that the lack of preseason activity will keep Bell from success. Ahead of his career-best season in 2016, Bell had just three preseason carries, all of which came in the same game.