Le’Veon Bell’s tenure with the New York Jets was as fleeting as a gust of wind, yet the memories of his time under the stewardship of former Jets head coach Adam Gase remain indelibly etched in his mind.
Bell, a former three-time Pro Bowl running back, had arrived at the Jets with much fanfare after a distinguished stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, his time in New York was characterized by unmet expectations and a series of disappointing outcomes. A focal point of contention and a recurring theme in Bell’s reflections was the strategic decisions made by Gase, particularly his play-calling.
On a revealing Thursday, Bell openly criticized his former coach on social media for his tactical choices, specifically targeting the use of repetitive dive plays on 2nd-and-10 situations.
Bell recounted his frustration, stating, “I still randomly think about how PISSED I used to be in the huddle when Adam Gase would call ’21 dive’ on 2nd & 10.”
The play in question, ’21 dive,’ was a halfback dive executed from a shotgun formation. Bell revealed that even the Jets’ quarterback at the time, Sam Darnold, would visibly express his dismay, shaking his head whenever the play was called in the huddle.
This strategy seemed ineffective at best, as evidenced by the team’s lackluster performance, finishing second-worst in the league in scoring offense and first downs converted per game in 2019.
The situation deteriorated further in the following season, plummeting to last in both categories with an average of only 16.8 first downs per game and a paltry 15.2 points per game.
Under Gase’s system, Bell’s own performance notably declined.
Prior to joining the Jets, specifically before his holdout year in Pittsburgh, Bell had impressive stats with 321 carries for 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns.
In stark contrast, his 2019 season with the Jets saw him carrying the ball 245 times for just 789 yards and three touchdowns—a significant drop in productivity.
The saga culminated with Bell’s release before the end of the 2020 season, coinciding with Gase’s dismissal from the team.
This period in their careers is likely a chapter that both Bell, Gase, and indeed, Jets fans, would prefer to leave in the past, overshadowed by unfulfilled potential and strategic missteps.