Jets' Le'Veon Bell says he and coach Adam Gase are fine and he's ready to play

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Le’Veon Bell wants to be involved in every rep in practice, wants to play every offensive down in games and wants everyone to know that he and Adam Gase get along well.

That last part still will take some convincing.

“We’ve had positive talks ever since I got here,” Bell said on a Zoom call Thursday. “I don’t understand why everybody keeps trying to put me and Gase against each other. We’re not against each other. I understand how hard it is to believe that, but we actually like each other.”

Bell spoke publicly for the first time since he expressed frustration on Twitter about being removed from a scrimmage last week because of a hamstring issue. Bell tweeted there was nothing wrong with his hamstring – which directly contradicted Gase – and that he got tight because he was standing around.

Gase said he talked to Bell and told him he should have come to him instead of going on social media. Bell called it “a miscommunication,” and said he just wanted everyone to know that his hamstring was fine. The optic certainly did not help the perception of the Bell-Gase relationship. But the two said they talked and had a productive conversation. Bell said they agreed that if he feels anything, he’s going to tell Gase first.

“Ever since I got here there’s been this little thing of me and him butting heads,” Bell said. “We had a long conversation because people blew it out of proportion when I did make a tweet. It’s a miscommunication. That’s really all it was. It’s not really a big deal. I feel good. Me and coach Gase had a great talk. We talk all the time. But we had a great talk that day about better communication, what we learned from the scrimmage and moving on and what we’re going to work on.”

One of those things is using Bell more in the passing game than last season.

Bell caught 66 passes – seventh-most among running backs – in what was a down year for the three-time Pro Bowler. Bell feels comfortable catching passes in the backfield or lining up as a receiver on the outside. It’s something he is expected to do more of this year, enabling Bell and Frank Gore to be on the field together for some downs.

“We got to get him in space better than what we did last year,” Gase said. “I think that there was a lot of good that came out of what he did in the receiving game. But I don’t think we ever really gave him enough space to work. That’s his game.”

Bell has always been a three-down back because of his ability to carry the football, catch it and block. He came into camp lighter than he ever has since he’s been in the NFL. He said being around 210-215 pounds, he had to get his feet under him as a blocker and picking up blitzes. 

“I just tried to express to [Gase], I’m in such great condition, I worked so hard this offseason you don’t really have to take me off the field,” Bell said. “I don’t have to get the ball. I’ll block. I can be out there and help make a play. I want to make plays without the ball.”

Bell believes his offseason work will lead to him having the best season of his career. The Jets open the season next Sunday in Buffalo with Bell not worried about his fantasy stats, but out to prove he’s better and he can help the Jets win.

“This is the best I’ve felt since I’ve been in the league,” Bell said. “We play Buffalo [next week]. That will be my first opportunity to show how different of a player I am.

“I’m not really necessarily worried about the stats. I just know this is the best I’ve ever been. Regardless of it leads to better stats, my main goal is for us to win games.”