Monday 15 January 2018 14:26, UK
Le'Veon Bell hopes to remain with the Pittsburgh Steelers next season but admits that may not happen.
The 25-year-old is a free agent after playing the 2017 season under the franchise tag.
The Steelers' season ended on Sunday when they were defeated 45-42 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, with Bell accounting for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.
When asked if he hoped that was not his last game for Pittsburgh, Bell replied: "Of course. I never want to leave this city, but obviously, circumstances and things like that. But I definitely don't."
NFL Network reported on Sunday that Pittsburgh plans to assign the franchise tag to Bell for a second year running, meaning he would earn around $14.5m, but he is looking for long-term security.
"I'm not going to settle for anything," Bell said last week. "I know what I do and what I bring to the table. I'm not going out here getting the ball 400 times if I'm not getting what I feel I'm valued at.
"They tag me again, it will be me [saying], 'OK, do I want to play on the tag or do I not want to play on the tag?' That's what it comes down to.
"If I was a free agent and they let me go, be a free agent, then yeah, I'm going to go explore free agency, test the market."
Bell also rejected the suggestion his comments last week about his future served as a distraction in the build-up to the defeat to Jacksonville.
"No, not at all," he said. "Guys weren't talking about it or thinking about it. I wasn't even thinking about it. At the end of the day, we were trying to win a Super Bowl. That was the main goal. Everybody wasn't worried about it or thinking about it. I don't think it was a distraction at all."
