On Monday, a pair of gold Adidas cleats with shiny golds spikes sat in front of Le'Veon Bell's locker stall inside the Rooney Sports Complex.
Once again the occupant was nowhere to be seen in Pittsburgh as Bell's refusal to sign his franchise tender reached its fifth week of the regular season.
But he's also been conspicuously quiet on social media, too.
His last tweet, on Sept. 27, refers to former Michigan State teammate and pal Kirk Cousins. His last Instagram post is of him rapping, dated Aug. 27.
However, Bell did weigh in on Instagram on Monday regarding the injury to Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Le'Veon Bell chimes in on Earl Thomas' injury. pic.twitter.com/cmMbaezpRA
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2018
"Smh, exactly..." Bell wrote. "Get right bro bro (Earl Thomas)! I'll continue to be the "bad guy" for ALL of us."
Thomas raised eyebrows Sunday when he offered a one-finger salute to the Seahawks' sideline as he was being carted off the field after suffering a season-ending injury. The three-time All-Pro, who suffered a broken leg against Arizona, ended his holdout before the start of the season but wasn't participating in practices as he tried to protect himself before reaching free agency next March.
The injury only underscored why Bell has so far declined to sign his $14.55 million franchise tag. He has so far surrendered nearly $3.5 million in salary as he looks to minimize the wear-and-tear on his body before he heads into free agency after this season.
It's expected that Bell will finally report after Week 10 when he can still earn an accrued season toward free agency. That's if he's not traded first. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Bell is reportedly being shopped, with the asking price being a second-round pick and a player off a 53-man roster.