Le'Veon Bell: Relationship with Jets HC Adam Gase 'Great' Despite Rumors
June 4, 2019
While New York Jets head coach Adam Gase reportedly didn't want the team to sign Le'Veon Bell, the running back said his relationship with the coach is still doing well.
"Even if the report was true, obviously he doesn't feel like I'm not a great player," Bell said Tuesday, per Rich Cimini of ESPN. "Maybe he just feels like, 'Dang, maybe we could've got more great players.' I don't know. What I'm saying is, me and him, our relationship is great."
Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News first reported in May after general manager Mike Maccagnan was fired that Gase didn't want to spend a lot of money on a running back. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network also noted that while the coach liked Bell as a player, the price tag was too high.
However, this mindset doesn't seem to bother Bell.
The 27-year-old explained Tuesday that the two have communicated throughout the offseason, including sending video of his personal workouts.
"There have been false reports about me, so I don't really buy into reports," he said. "I talk to him. He tells me what's going on. The communication is there, that's all that matters."
Bell signed a four-year, $52 million deal in the offseason after sitting out this past season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Per Spotrac, only Todd Gurley has a high average annual salary among running backs.
His goal will be to help transform a Jets offense that finished 29th in total yards in 2018 while also taking some of the pressure off young quarterback Sam Darnold. Considering the team went 4-12 last season and hasn't made the playoffs since 2010, it's difficult for anyone in the organization to be mad about adding an All-Pro talent.
Some early wins will also help anyone get over any offseason disagreements.