Chereads / American Football: Domination / Chapter 284 - A Bitter Pill to Swallow

Chapter 284 - A Bitter Pill to Swallow

Finally!

Bart finally admitted his mistake — live, on Inside the League — and acknowledged Lance's brilliance, sending shockwaves throughout the entire NFL community.

On one hand, for any grown man, especially a professional analyst, admitting he was wrong was no easy feat. To concede an error in one's area of expertise? That required swallowing a massive chunk of pride.

It was hard. Excruciatingly hard.

But did Bart have a choice?

No.

Had he continued to dig his heels in, the only thing he'd lose was his own credibility. Over the past six weeks, Lance had delivered slap after slap with every dazzling play, each resounding like a symphony of face-smacks. At this point, continuing to deny reality would only make Bart a laughingstock.

Desperation. Frustration. And helplessness.

Ironically, Bart's confession became one of the most memorable moments of Inside the League this season. Viewership spiked during the broadcast, and the clip of Bart admitting defeat spread across social media like wildfire.

In no time, Bart's video, reaction gifs, and screenshots became popular memes.

Clearly, the audience loved the drama. It wasn't just the studio that enjoyed the spectacle — the whole internet joined in.

On the other hand, Bart's public admission carried significant weight within the league.

Over the past few weeks, Bart had unintentionally become the face of the "anti-Lance" movement. In a sea of praise, his dissenting voice stood out as a refreshing change. His skepticism earned him a loyal following of fans who weren't ready to buy into the Lance hype, elevating his status to new heights in his career.

But now?

The banner had fallen.

With Bart's surrender, the "anti-Lance" camp lost its leader. The online trolls scattered in disarray, their group crumbling without direction. They were left stunned and leaderless, reduced to a disorganized mess.

This was a turning point.

The doubts and criticisms that had clouded Lance's journey since draft night were now a thing of the past. Whether people liked it or not, Lance had solidified his position in the NFL.

Just as Donald Yu predicted:

Rookie. Running back. Asian-American.

What once seemed like a string of negative labels had now transformed into marks of a budding legend.

Meanwhile, at Nike's West Coast headquarters, the atmosphere was electric.

Employees gathered in the conference room to watch the game live. Cheers erupted, handshakes turned into hugs, and champagne bottles popped. Faces lit up with joy, and the room buzzed with excitement.

At the center of it all stood Edwards, calm and composed.

He navigated the celebration with poise, shoulders squared and chin lifted, exuding confidence as if to say, "I knew this would happen."

Since signing Lance last week, Edwards had been walking a tightrope. Every step was fraught with risk, and criticism loomed at every corner.

But within just seven days, the tide had turned.

First, Lance's jerseys flew off the shelves. Then, he delivered a game-winning, buzzer-beater touchdown against the Steelers, keeping Kansas City's undefeated streak alive.

Now, the doubters? Gone.

One could only imagine how Adidas and Under Armour executives were feeling. They had come close to signing Lance but let the opportunity slip through their fingers. Now, Nike stood tall as the visionary brand that recognized Lance's potential first.

Edwards smirked.

"Sorry, Lance isn't yours anymore."

"Lance!"

"Lance!"

The chants from Arrowhead Stadium echoed into the Nike offices as the staff raised their glasses in celebration.

But while Kansas City fans were basking in euphoria, the Pittsburgh Steelers were burning in the fires of hell — much like Bart.

For the Steelers, this loss was a bitter pill to swallow.

They had controlled the game from start to finish. They had the lead, the momentum, and the game in their grasp.

Victory was theirs — until it wasn't.

In a game of such fine margins, the tiniest mistake could be the difference between winning and losing. And in those crucial final moments, the Steelers made too many mistakes.

If Antonio Brown had pushed for just a few more yards on that crucial reception…

If Le'Veon Bell had been more decisive on that final running play…

If they had secured just one more first down, Kansas City's offense would never have had the chance to take the field again.

But they didn't.

And when it came time to defend that last drive, the Steelers faltered at every step — misreading the play, misaligning their defense, and failing to adapt on the fly.

"19-24."

Le'Veon Bell stared up at the scoreboard, the numbers blazing on the giant screen.

The score was more piercing than the sea of red that filled Arrowhead Stadium.

Bell had experienced countless losses in his career — bitter, painful defeats — but this one hit differently.

It hurt.

And he wasn't the only one struggling to accept it.

Bell could feel the tension between Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger. Though neither said a word, the air between them was thick with frustration. Both were strong personalities, and both were used to getting their way.

Winning solved everything. But losing? Especially a loss like this?

The cracks were already showing.

Some teammates cast expectant glances toward Bell, hoping he might step in to defuse the tension.

But Bell had no interest in playing peacemaker.

He was just a running back — doing the hardest work for a fraction of the pay. Last year, in his contract year, he delivered elite performances to prove his worth and advocate for better pay for running backs across the league.

Bell wasn't fighting for himself alone. He wanted to break the glass ceiling for all running backs. He wanted the league to respect their contributions.

What did he get for his efforts? The Steelers slapped a franchise tag on him, effectively forcing him to prove himself all over again.

Bullsh*t.

Meanwhile, quarterbacks — those pampered, overpaid, fragile quarterbacks — kept landing one massive contract after another. They were treated like royalty.

And running backs like Bell? They were treated like disposable tools.

It didn't matter that Bell accounted for at least 30% of Pittsburgh's offense. The Steelers still refused to give him the respect (and pay) he deserved.

Well, screw that.

Bell had bigger battles to fight. He wasn't going to waste his time mediating locker room drama.

Let Brown and Roethlisberger sort out their issues. Bell had a mission to complete.

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