NFL reduces Le'Veon Bell's drug-related suspension to 3 games

— -- Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Le'Veon Bell's suspension for missing league-mandated drug tests has been reduced to three games.

The NFL announced Bell's three-game suspension Friday, saying that the former Pro Bowler violated the league's policy on substances of abuse.

Bell's suspension was reduced from its initial length of four games as a result of a negotiated settlement between the NFL and the players' union, a source told ESPN's Dan Graziano.

Also, as part of the settlement, Bell remains in his current stage of the NFL's drug program rather than advancing to the next one, the source told Graziano. The missed drug tests were found to be the result of a travel issue, and Bell did not inform the tester of his travel plans, according to the source.

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement that the team is "disappointed" in Bell, who was suspended two games last year because of a DUI in the Pittsburgh area for possession of marijuana.

"We will continue to support Le'Veon, but we acknowledge this mistake has put the team in an unfortunate position," Colbert said. "We will continue to work with Le'Veon to help him eliminate distractions in his life so he can reach his full potential as a member of our community as well as a player for the Pittsburgh Steelers."

Bell, who practiced throughout training camp coming off reconstructive knee surgery, had faced a cloud of NFL suspension for the second consecutive year. He declined comment on the appeal process during training camp but said Tuesday he appreciated the support from teammates who took the wait-and-see approach.

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley, for example, called Bell an "energy giver" who endeared himself to the team quickly.

There was a sense of optimism from the Steelers during training camp, with one team source saying Bell's story for missing tests was much better than him changing his cell phone number, a popular rumor that circulated online.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Bell's looming appeal hadn't affected his game-planning. Running back DeAngelo Williams -- who last season rushed for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns in Bell's absence -- is set to miss his second consecutive preseason game next weekend. Third-stringer? Fitzgerald Toussaint?is expected to take the first-team reps.

Regardless of the suspension, the Steelers knew they would get one of the game's best running backs for much of the season. Since 2013, Bell has averaged 119 yards from scrimmage per game, the NFL's best among running backs.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler contributed to this report.