Pittsburgh Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell raps about being 'target'

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell believes he is a target.

Bell has skipped the team's offseason program while he is in the middle of a contract dispute. He has received criticism for his absence and contract demands.

Bell responded to his critics by releasing a hip-hop song this weekend titled "Target."

In the song, the star running back addresses his contract dispute, being franchise-tagged two straight years, and critics calling him out of shape and referencing his 2016 drug suspension.

Bell's suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy was for missed tests. In 2015, he was suspended three games after a marijuana-possession arrest and DUI in 2014.

He raps that he is not the bad guy he has been made out to be.

Here is a sampling of lyrics from Genius.com:

"Wonder why they treat me like the bad guy/You say I ain't the best, but that's a bad lie ..."

"... You can see I'm doing shows, so you think I'm out of shape ..."

"... All these people wanna trade/I'm the one they wanna hate/So to me, I'm a target ..."

"... You think if I sat out, I'd be sluggish/You think they won't pay me 'cause a drug test/Fun fact, I ain't never failed one, that's on me/You so worried 'bout the weed, what 'bout those PEDs ..."

Bell was paid $12.12 million based on last year's franchise tag and would make $14.5 million this year, barring a new contract. The deadline for the two sides to make a deal is July 16 at 4 p.m. ET.

The 48th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Bell ran for 1,291 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns last season while catching a personal-best 85 passes for 655 yards and two scores. He was third in the NFL in rushing yards and 10th in receptions.