Yahoo Finance Le’Veon Bell will return next season, committed to help rebuild Jets: ‘I’m here for it’
While it was a disappointing year for Le’Veon Bell and the Jets, Bell isn’t going anywhere.
He’s committed to New York.
“I wouldn’t have signed here for four years if I didn’t want to be here four years,” Bell said, via ESPN.
Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million deal with the Jets this past summer after sitting out the 2018 season due to a lengthy contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His performance on the field, however, has been some of the worst of his six-year career.
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Bell has recorded just 748 yards on 229 carries for three touchdowns, and has 425 receiving yards and one touchdown through the air with just one game remaining on their schedule. The Jets are just 6-9 heading into Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, and will finish with a losing record for the fourth straight season and miss the playoffs for the ninth straight year.
The Jets, though, are clearly in a rebuilding mode. Head coach Adam Gase is in his first year with the program, and has been tasked with leading a number of young players — including quarterback Sam Darnold.
While this season is the first time Bell’s ever been on a losing team, he said he understands that and knew it coming in.
“When I did sign here, I didn’t expect us to go 16-0, you know what I’m saying?” Bell said, via ESPN. “I knew it would be a process. I understand everything. We got a young quarterback, a whole group of guys coming in — new offensive coordinators, head coaches … I understand what goes on. It’s not like basketball. You can’t take one or two guys and change a team.”
Bell is set to earn $13.5 million next season, and has an out in his contract for the final two seasons.
Based on his comments on Friday, however, it doesn’t sound like Bell wants a change of scenery anytime soon — even if things don’t always go his way.
“I understand that it takes a while to build a stable program. I’m here for it,” Bell said, via ESPN. “It’s what I want to do. I’m not saying I’m ecstatic about it. I’m not saying I’m down about it. I understand it’s a process, getting things going in the right direction.”
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