Show him the money.

Well ...

For the second year in a row, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell will play under the franchise tag.

That number is $14.5 million for a running back this season.

Bell wanted more.

Much more.

A report came out late Monday that stated the Steelers offered Bell $70 million over five years with $33 million guaranteed.

That was a better offer than the one the Steelers made to Bell last year.

Bell again said no, mainly because it didn’t include more guaranteed money and didn’t meet his desire to be paid $17 million a year.

This is a difficult issue for both the Steelers and Bell. It’s not cut and dry. Both the Steelers and Bell have valid points for their positions.

But maybe Bell deserves all the money can get.

Look, Bell has been one of the most productive running backs in NFL history in his first five seasons, amassing 7,996 yards in 62 regular-season games, the most of any player during that span since 1970.

After a slow start last season, he rushed for 1,291 yards and caught 85 passes for another 655 yards.

He’s the biggest dual-threat back in the league.

So why not pay the man?

And I don’t blame Bell for wanting to get his. Running backs last about as long as a mayfly in the NFL. Backs can really only cash in on one big contract, and Bell has more wear and tear on his body than most.

On the flip side, running backs are replaceable, even ones with Bell’s skill set.

Handing a long-term, $17-million-per-year deal to Bell could be considered reckless.

Both the Steelers and Bell were in a difficult position during these negotiations and their standoff will have a cost.

Bell took to Twitter once the deadline for a long-term deal passed.

Bell wrote: “to all my Steeler fans, my desire always has been to retire a Steeler...both sides worked extremely hard (Monday) to make that happen, but the NFL is a hard business at times...to the fans that had hope, I’m sorry we let youu (sic) down but trust me, 2018 will be my best season to date...”

If you read between the lines, it also says: “When I eventually show up.”

No one really knows for sure when that will be.

Last year, when Bell played under the tag for $12.1 million, he waited until the preseason was over to arrive and struggled through the first four weeks of the regular season before rounding into form.

With the writing on the wall that he won’t be in black and gold beyond this coming season and with a chance at the big payday he craves a year away, Bell may opt to skip half the season — or more — to enter free agency in 2019 as healthy and with as little wear on the tread as he can.

That could derail any hopes at a Super Bowl for Pittsburgh.

Then again, if Bell shows up, is the Bell that everyone know he can be, and the Steelers win the Super Bowl, will anyone care if he leaves?

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.