On Tuesday, Oct. 12, the New York Jets released star running back Le’Veon Bell, not even halfway into his four year, $52.5 million contract.
Bell signed with the Kansas City Chiefs shortly after, who already had a star-studded offense led by Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce.
Since he became the marquee signing for the Jets in 2019, Bell’s run with the Jets was mired in poor team (and personal) performances and controversy. In 15 games with the Jets last year, Bell rushed for a total of 789 yards and 3 touchdowns. The team went 7-9.
In contrast, in 2017, Bell’s final season with the Steelers before holding out, he put up 1291 total yards and 9 touchdowns. The team went 13-3.
Bell’s decision to hold out during the 2018 NFL season was due to wanting a larger and longer-term contract from the Steelers that Pittsburgh was not willing to give him.
When he secured the contract from the Jets, Bell and New York fans were optimistic about the team and offense. With quarterback Sam Darnold running the show, he now had an undeniably elite option, and optimism wasn’t necessarily misplaced.
Bell, and Jets fans alike, just did not anticipate the exact heights of dysfunction from the franchise’s front office and coaching staff. The Jets are 0-6, and Head Coach Adam Gase is sure to be fired as soon as, if not before, the season concludes.
Bell spent three weeks on injured reserve after pulling his hamstring in the Jets season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills. After coming back in game 5 against Arizona, just to get 60 yards on 13 rushes, and see his team lose 10-30, Bell took to social media, liking tweets advocating he be traded.
For a young and rebuilding team, the Bell signing never made a ton of sense for the Jets. The team was unlikely to make the playoffs this year and last, and the tide only seems to be turning for the worse. Without finding a trade partner, the Jets essentially lost Bell for nothing, and questions now surround the entire franchise from General Manager Joe Douglas down to Gase down to even Darnold.
Bell can be, and surely is, excited for the rest of this season with the Super Bowl-favorite Chiefs. Jets fans, on the other hand, will find little excitement, as the franchise is not only headed into no man’s land, but everything points to things only getting worse before they get better.