Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell Joins PETA’s Offense Against the Fur Industry

Record-Setting Running Back Sports His Tattoos in ‘Ink, Not Mink’ Campaign

For Immediate Release:
March 3, 2014

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Le’Veon Bell may have wrapped up his first pro season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but his career as an animal advocate is just getting started. Bell, who in 2013 broke the Steelers’ record for most yards from scrimmage by a rookie and received the Joe Greene Great Performance Award, has teamed up with PETA for a brand-new print ad—done up in Steelers gold—that shows off the celebrated running back’s amply tattooed arms above the words “I Choose Ink, Not Mink, Because Animals Deserve Better.” The new ad is available here.

“Tattoos—you’re going through the pain yourself,” Bell points out in an exclusive video interview with PETA. “I’ve seen some videos where I’ve seen cats getting skinned and dogs, you know, and it makes me sick to my stomach. I couldn’t imagine my animals getting killed and somebody just wearing them.”

Every year, millions of animals—including foxes, minks, raccoons, rabbits, chinchillas, and even cats and dogs—are beaten, electrocuted, drowned, strangled, and skinned alive for their fur. Bell and PETA want everyone to know that for every coat, collar, or cuff made of fur, animals suffered immensely.

Bell joins a growing list of football stars and other top athletes—including Tony Gonzalez, Willis McGahee, Ty Lawson, Terrell Suggs, Antoine Bethea, Glenn Dorsey, Aaron Curry, Michael Strahan, Metta World Peace, Lance Briggs, and Maurice Jones-Drew—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals.

Broadcast-quality footage of Bell’s interview can be downloaded here. For more information, please visit PETA.org or click here.