When Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell left last season's AFC Championship against New England with a groin injury after just six rushing attempts, it all but assured the Patriots were headed to the Super Bowl.
And Bell gave conflicting statements at the time about whether he hid the injury from the Steelers, first saying he did, then saying the team was aware of the issue, which eventually required surgery. That caused an NFL investigation into why the team didn't list him on its injury report heading into the game.
The Steelers were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing in the issue.
Bell added some insight into the situation Wednesday as the Steelers (13-3) returned to practice here during their bye week after wrapping up the No. 2 seed in a AFC playoffs.
"Before Kansas City I didn't," said Bell of a pain-killing shot. "Then in the AFC Championship Game I did. I felt great in warmups and then the first play of the game, I got hit and all of the pain came back. It was over. That actually made me feel better than it was.
"There wasn't no going back in. It was over. I tried going back in. It just wasn't working."
Bell had gained 167 yards rushing in the Steelers' Wild Card win over Miami and then 170 the following week in a victory at Kansas City to send the team on to the AFC Championship, breaking the team postseason rushing record both times.
But those 59 combined carries he got in those contests, coupled with the 261 rushing attempts he had in just 12 games last season might have caught up to him.
That's why he was happy Mike Tomlin decided to give him -- along with four other Pro Bowl players and defensive end Cameron Heyward -- a rest in last Sunday's 28-24 win over Cleveland in the regular season finale.
"I'm thankful for the bye week," said Bell. "We've still got to practice and do things like that to make sure we don't go into the next week rusty or things like that or our timing is off. We're still treating it like a normal week. We just don't have a game.
"Last year, I was nowhere near feeling how I am right now."
While Bell, Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey, and David DeCastro sat out the game in a coaching decision, receiver Antonio Brown missed the game because of a calf injury. Brown missed the Steelers' final two games with the injury, which was suffered in the second quarter of the team's 27-24 loss to New England Dec. 17.
Bell said he has been in contact with Brown and expects the receiver to be ready when the Steelers finally open the playoffs Jan. 14 at Heinz Field against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
"I know how hard he works and the time he has put in. I'm confident he is going to be back," Bell said. "That's just a hunch."
A hunch?
"Yeah, a hunch," he said with a smile.
And that could be the difference for the Steelers in this playoffs. Either way, Bell knows the time for excuses for this version of the Steelers is over.
They've had injuries to both him and Brown in the past that have held them back in playoff games. But the Steelers roll into this postseason as healthy as possible -- with the exception of the loss of linebacker Ryan Shazier.
"We want to feel like we're going in at full power, full strength in the playoffs," said Bell. "If we lose, we'll be like, 'OK, there's nothing we can say about it. There's no more excuses.' We've got to get back there. If guys beat us the way we are, then so be it. I just don't feel that's the case."