Canada Sports News

Le’Veon Bell is eager to start playing football. One of the best running backs in the league stated that yesterday, saying that he can’t wait for Week 1 to come and to take on the rival’s defenses.

After 19 months of absence, the Pro-Bowl RB craves for some action. He wants to play, and also to remind everyone that he didn’t forget any of his skills.

“But I’m so eager. I’m eager to play. I want to go out there and show everybody I’m still the same player and help this team win games.’’

During his address to the media, Bell revealed several interesting things, among them the fact that his teammates from the defensive team don’t want to be tough on him during the practices. That is something the player doesn’t wish because, in order to reach his full form, he needs to have rough training sessions.

That would include some hits and tackles. But for some reason, the other guys didn’t want to be aggressive towards Bell. Whether is that because of fear from injury or something else, we don’t know.

“Give me a little something, go for the ball,’ so I can get prepared,’’ Bell said. “Because in practice, they kind of look at me like, ‘We don’t want to hit him.’”

The former Steeler isn’t that much involved in the preseason matches the Jets have, and he won’t be participating in any of them until the start of the regular part of the campaign. Because of that the intensity of his practices needs to be higher than usual.

In some situations, Bell was trying to initiate some contact which would cause for defenders to have a bit stronger response.

“Even if they don’t [hit me hard], I try to give them something to get them a little upset. I try to do it intentionally just so I can feel it. I need all that.’’

The Jets are putting a lot of hope in Bell’s productivity in the upcoming season. After all, this guy is one of the best in his business. The fans and the organization are hoping that he and Sam Darnold might lead them to the playoffs. The last time they were, there was all the way back in 2010 when they lost against the Steelers in the AFC Championship game.

Darnold is not a rookie anymore, and Bell’s presence will make things easier for him. When having an elite RB on your team, everything is much easier for the quarterback.

Bell inked a four-year deal, worth $52 million. He is among top-paid running backs in the NFL, and the expectations from him are pretty high. On the other hand, he is willing to embrace all that and to prove his worth.

The season for the Jets starts on September 9th, when they face the Buffalo Bills at home. Hopefully, Bell will make his debut then, and step on the field after a long time.