That's So Jets: Le'Veon Bell Drops a Nuke on Adam Gase Over a Report Bell Once 'Skipped Game to Go Bowling'

Seth Wenig. Shutterstock Images.

It's understandable if you've forgotten Le'Veon Bell's career with the Jets. Merely because it was so forgettable. Coming off three Pro Bowls, two All Pros, and full-season contract holdout in Pittsburgh, Bell found a landing zone in New York in 2019-20. And found out the hard way that being the Jets' Franchise Savior is akin to being the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. It's a short lived position. And even if you survive, you'll feel like you got your soul sucked out of your face by Dementors. 

In five seasons with the Steelers before the contract dispute racked up 5,336 rushing yards, 2,660 receiving yards, and 42  touchdowns. In just 17 games with the Jets, those numbers dropped to 863 yards on the ground, 500 yards through the air, and 3 TDs. And arguably his most legendary moment came in a week he didn't play. One he missed due to the flu:

Credit where it's due. Bowling a 251 in the middle of the night in a week where you were too sick to practice football and had to sit out Sunday's game is a hell of an athletic feat. As was Bell's wordplay. "Pro Bowler"? It was right there the entire time, but he came up with it. Well played, good sir.

Well all this just came up recently when an NFL account mentioned it. And Bell responded:

And responded:

And the beautiful thing is, Bell is not wrong. In 2018, the Jets finished 23rd in the league in offense, and as a result, fired Todd Bowles. In 2019 and 2020, they brought in Gase, added the NFL's most productive, versatile, all-purpose running back. And finished 31st and 32nd. That 251 he rolled at 1am the morning of a game was undoubtely the highlight of season he'd rather forget. Or do over and have decided to sign literally anywhere else but this accursed franchise.

So let Bell's experience serve as a cautionary tale for any NFL veteran looking for a payday. He parachuted into New York as a superstar. With millions of Steelers fans wearing his jersey. At the age of 27, with a few good years still left in him. And left a broken man. Bitter. Jaded. Realizing too late what it is to be stuck in the swamp of that decrepit team. Never again to come close to approaching his former glory. 

As for Gase? He was fired in 2020, hasn't coached since, and now works in media. So it's not like Bell is wrong to say a few strings of midnight bowling is preferable to playing for him.

And yet the sad truth is somewhere out there is another star player who is going to make the same mistake Bell did. Because as long as there is an NFL, there's going to be a New York Jets. If they didn't exist, I would've had to invent them.