Jets' Le'Veon Bell Placed on IR After Suffering Hamstring Injury vs. Bills

Running back Le'Veon Bell was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury Tuesday. He is eligible to return to the active roster in three weeks.

The running back left the third quarter of the Jets' season-opening loss against the Bills with the injury and did not return.

Prior to his departure, Bell had six carries for 14 yards and caught two balls for 32 yards as the Jets trailed 21-10, eventually falling 27-20. 

Bell grabbed at his leg after making a catch late in the first half, but he remained in the game until he was pulled. Jets coach Adam Gase took the blame for the injury after the loss, per Chris Ryan of NJ.com: 

"I'm mad at myself that I let him go back in there in the second half. That play looked bad, because I'm watching him — I thought it was going to be a touchdown — he got grabbed and then just kind of the way he planted and twerked, it looked real bad. I saw him grab his hamstring, and he wouldn't come out." 

Gase praised Bell's progress in camp, saying the 28-year-old had lost 12 pounds and was "extremely motivated and in phenomenal shape," per ESPN's Rich Cimini. In August, Bell responded to a tweet from a Jets staffer who claimed he was held out on a few snaps with "hamstring tightness."

Last season, his first with the Jets after sitting out in 2018 due to contract disputes, Bell rushed for a career-worst 789 yards, a tough start to his second act after three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro appearances in five seasons with the Steelers.

Frank Gore led the Jets in rushing when Bell was injured and finished the day with 24 yards on six carries. Josh Adams also added two carries for eight yards, including one of the Jets' two touchdowns. 

Gase wasn't detailed on Bell's condition after the game and said an update will come early this week. For now, it looks like the second half of Bell's career will be further postponed.

New York also announced Tuesday it has signed running back Kalen Ballage to the active roster. The Jets had agreed to acquire Ballage from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick. However, the deal was called off due to a failed physical.