Despite Le’Veon Bell‘s victorious triumph with the Steelers, he was shrouded in profound pain. During the recent Terrible Tailgate ahead of the Steelers‘ win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Bell curbed his emotions as he engaged with his fans. As the Steelers clinched a 32-13 victory, Bell did not let the personal tragedy of losing his beloved dog, Venus, overwhelm him as he stayed back with his fans. Nonetheless, Bell was visibly crushed.

Deeply appreciating the Steelers’ RB hold on his emotions, MLF football, took to share on its X handle, “CLASS ACT: Despite his dog passing away at a local vet during today’s Terrible Tailgate, #Steelers icon Le’Veon Bell stayed another 40 minutes, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. Cannot imagine what that was like. @LeVeonBell prayers up & sorry for your loss❤️🙏.” Bell had pulled himself together to stay for his fans, as the Steelers halted their two-game losing streak, marking their first 30-point game of the season.

Replying to this Twitter thread, Bell, also expressed his grief, as he made a heart-wrenching tribute to his dog Venus. He wrote, “RIP VENUS 🕊️💔 any time I was down, sick, upset, sad, etc. I could ALWAYS count on you, the best little dog a man could ever ask for”. Further, expressing his love, he continued, “I love you so much and will always love you forever … you will FOREVER have a special place in my heart … words can’t explain the HURT I feel!”

Not only this, the creator of Terrible Tailgate and co-owner of Barstool Sports, Kevin Adams, also expressed his respect for Bell for hanging around even though he was feeling devastated. Adams wrote that the “masses of the Steelers nation” need to appreciate Bell’s sacrifice.

Replying to this, Bell added how much the situation has been weighing on his mind. “.. I promise I did everything I can to hold back tears .. it’s just been awful the last 2 days .. but again, I appreciate you & you CARING about how I was feeling.. I couldn’t be as energetic as I usually am today, had so much on my mind 💔,” Le’Veon Bell responded. Bell, indeed shares a very deep bond with his dogs.

Le’Veon Bell’s love for his dogs

The love for dogs runs quite deep in Bell’s family. His uncle used to own a German Shepherd mix, with whom he shared a very close relationship. In an interview, he added, “Growing up, my uncle used to always have dogs, and we always had a dog growing up. I couldn’t remember a time when I never had a dog.” Hence, dogs were always a part of Bell’s immediate family.

When he was old enough, Bell got a dog of his own. Later, as he entered college, he grew his family, feeling that his dog “needed a friend so I got another dog. They just started adding up from there.”

For Bell, his dogs, including Venus and his Rottweilers, Buddy, and Beautiful, provided him with solace during various challenging times. Whether it was the three-game suspension in 2016 or the groin surgery in 2017, they were always there for him. He notes, “They are always happy to see you, no matter what you go through.”

With Venus’ death, it has left a void in him, as Bell fondly remembers their shared memories.