PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger left the window open for Le'Veon Bell, just in case.
The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said he texted Bell before Tuesday's 4 p.m. reporting deadline but didn't hear back. By not showing up, Bell forfeited the 2018 season -- and $14.5 million in earnings on the franchise tag -- in an effort to preserve his body for unrestricted free agency.
"I texted him, saying I hoped he was going to show up and if he decided not to, I wished him nothing but the best," Roethlisberger said Wednesday morning from his locker. "He was a great teammate and football player."
Roethlisberger isn't judging Bell for his decision to leave behind his salary and a potential Super Bowl run by the Steelers (6-2-1).
"To each their own on what they want to walk away from," Roethlisberger said.
That's where the insight on Bell stopped, as Roethlisberger made it clear that he wanted to move on from the conversation.
Bell and Roethlisberger shared a backfield for five seasons, with Bell averaging 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game since 2013. Bell, Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown formed the "Killer B's," one of the NFL's most formidable trios.
Bell's nameplate is still on his locker, but he won't be coming back.
"The thing about it is he's not here, he's not going to be here, so we don't have to talk about it," Roethlisberger said.
Roethlisberger said his sole focus is Sunday's game against Jacksonville, which is arguably the biggest challenge of the year for the Steelers' offense. The Jaguars intercepted Roethlisberger five times during a Week 5 game last season.
Roethlisberger enjoys the preparation process, which is why sitting out a season would "be tough," he acknowledged.
"Part of the great thing about this sport is this band of brothers and this group of guys and being with them," Roethlisberger said. "That's what keeps me coming back."