Le’Veon Bell plans to go it alone during offseason workouts, skipping voluntary team sessions with the New York Jets two months after signing a contract with $27 million guaranteed.
Bell preferred his Miami-area digs for offseason training as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, including his full year spent in relative exile as a holdout. General manager Mike Maccagnan did not say whether Bell was expected at the voluntary three-day minicamp with the Jets from April 23-25.
“When it’s time to play football…” Bell wrote on Instagram. “I got to stick to the formula that I know works for me to be the best player I can be…I’m not just tryna win football games, I want a ring. I want to desperately show everybody what I can REALLY do…I’ll take the heat right now, everybody will forget about that once January comes around.”
Bell did not play last season and hasn’t participated in full team workouts for more than 16 months.
He is in a brand new system, playing for a new coach, and chemistry was a stated mission for Jets head coach Adam Gase, hired in January to replace Todd Bowles.
Gase downplayed the absence, crediting Bell for appearing at the team facility for the first week of work. He said Bell also follows installation of the playbook and position-specific work via team-issued iPad.
“He has a pretty good training regimen that he goes through,” Gase said. “He knows how to get his body ready for going through training camp and the regular season. So he’s been doing this for a minute.”
The Jets are scheduled to hold a mandatory three-day minicamp June 4-6. Bell is expected to attend.