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Le'Veon Bell gets suspension reduced

The best running back in football will make his 2016 debut in Week 4 after getting his suspension reduced to three games.

By Jason Marcum
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Former Michigan State Spartans star Le'Veon Bell had a small victory Friday in getting his four-game suspension reduced.

Initially, Bell was set to miss the first four games of the 2016 season due to a missed drug test. However, ESPN reports that Bell and the NFL agreed to a settlement that will reduce his suspension to three games. This also keeps Bell in Stage II of the NFL's drug program instead of advancing to Stage III.

A violation of the drug policy while in Stage III could result in a year-long ban. Being in Stage II means that another infraction would only result in a four-game suspension.

Bell, now entering his fourth NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was suspended for the first two games of the 2015 season for a violation of the policy on substances of abuse. That came as a result of Bell being arrested for marijuana possession and a DUI in the summer of 2014.

Ever since Pittsburgh drafted Bell in the second round out of Michigan State in 2013, the former Spartan has become the NFL's best running back when he's not healthy or suspended. The Steelers are 14-2 in games in which Bell carried the ball 20 or more times.

Bell's latest suspension means his 2016 debut will come in Week 4 vs the Kansas City Chiefs. Hopefully, we'll only be hearing about the kind of amazing plays he made at Michigan State and now in Pittsburgh instead of problems he's had off the field.

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