The Facts: The Steelers still have yet to get any official word from Bell as to when the running back will play this season, sources said, with this saga coming to a head this month no matter what.

Diehards Line: Neither Bell not his agent, Adisa Bakari, have given the team an indication of when he will report as another week of the season goes by and the running back passes on another $850,000 in game checks. He must sign his contract by Nov. 13, the Tuesday after Week 10 games are concluded, to be eligible to play for any NFL team this season, per the collective bargaining agreement. While Bell has not conveyed that he will definitely play this season, Steelers coaches and officials are expecting at this point that he will sign his franchise tender then. However, per the CBA, it does not specifically stipulate that a player must report to his team by that Tuesday, only that he must sign any term sheets or contracts by the close of NFL business that day (4 p.m. ET) in order to be eligible to play at all in that season. Bell could conceivably skip that deadline as well and sit out the entire 2018 NFL season. He could also sign his contract on that Tuesday but potentially not report until as late as Saturday to be eligible to be added to the roster in time for Sunday's game. In other words, nobody knows what's going to happen.