The New York Jets have a dynamic combination in the backfield in Le’Veon Bell and Sam Darnold, but Bell can’t stand watching Darnold.
Settle down New York Jets fans. Why does Le’Veon Bell hate watching Sam Darnold? He hates watching his teammate because he wants to be playing with him and not relegated to the sidelines.
"I really hate watching Sam play, I just want to be in there with him…because I know how special he is" — @LeVeonBell pic.twitter.com/VX2ALpHZ3B
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) August 21, 2019
“Each and every week when I’m out there watching the guys play and I’m just watching the offense play — I’m just thinking, I just can’t wait,” said Bell. “I really hate watching Sam [Darnold] play. You know what I’m saying?
“I just want to be in there with him because I know how special he is and I want to play with that. Obviously, I know everybody is eager to watch me play and I’m eager to play, but I understand that it’s time. … I’m going to be patient and wait until Week 1 comes. When it counts, I’m going to be out there and I’ll give it everything I got.”
Head coach Adam Gase has already made clear that Bell won’t see any preseason action.
The running back’s frustration is understandable, but he’s handling it the right way. He has to be itching to get back on the field and start catching passes from Darnold. Soon enough.
Bell came into New York with some questions about whether or not he would be a malcontent. He was suspended for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy in 2016 and famously sat out the entire 2018 season due to a contract dispute.
However, he is saying—and doing—all the right things in his new home. Even amid a turbulent offseason where there were reports that Gase didn’t want to sign Bell, he remained calm, cool, and collected.
Bell seems laser-focused on producing in his first game action since January of 2018. If he and Darnold click in Gase’s innovative offense, the Jets might have something special.
