Adam Gase and Le’Veon Bell are at odds again.
Following the Jets’ 30-10 loss on Sunday, Bell declined to speak with reporters. Instead, he liked multiple tweets that highlighted his lack of targets in the game and suggested the Jets should trade him.
Bell returned to the starting lineup Sunday following a three-game absence with a hamstring injury. He played 45 of 64 snaps, carrying the ball 13 times for 60 yards. He was targeted just once in the passing game.
Speaking with reporters Monday, Gase understood Bell’s frustrations but said that he “hates” that social media is the route players go instead of talking about their frustrations. This has been a previous issue with Bell, who took to Twitter to dispute there was nothing wrong with his hamstrings over the summer after he was pulled from an intrasquad scrimmage. Gase, at the time, asked that Bell come to him personally with his frustrations.
That didn’t happen on Sunday.
“It is what is,” Gase said, per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes. “I know he’s frustrated we haven’t won.”
Gase said it wasn’t the plan not to target Bell in the passing game, but more a product of how the Cardinals defense was playing. Granted, Bell has only played 1.5 games in 2020, but he’s only been targeted three times in the passing game.
“I’ve been trying to get him the ball,” Gase added…”Sometimes defense’s take guys away that we’re trying to get the ball to.”
It doesn’t seem like Gase has adjusted to opposing defenses, but he’ll certainly need to adjust with Bell going forward. With Bell liking tweets about possibly being traded, their relationship could be beyond repair this time around.