Breece Hall Returns to Jets With Clear Message About Trade Rumors & Starting Job

Just two months ago, New York Jets running back Breece Hall was considered one of the top running backs in the game. His ability as both a runner and pass catcher comes in rare form across the NFL.

But as former coach Jerry Glanville once said, the NFL's best acronym is "Not For Long."

A quad injury cost the Jets' running back the last five weeks. In his absence, Braelon Allen has turned into one of the more productive runners in team history. The former Wisconsin product is the first Jets running back to record three straight 100-yard rushing games since Curtis Martin in 2004.

Heading into Week 9, Hall is back. And with it, questions about his future with the team, where the depth chart stands, and how things will look for the offense going forward.

Hall addresses injury & trade rumors

Speaking to reporters this week, Hall made it clear: he remains the team's starter regardless of what Allen has done over the course of the last month.

"I'm still a starter, still a very good running back in this league," Hall said. "Obviously, Braelon's been playing good. I think him and the offense have caught their stride after the first three, four games. So it's going to be good to just get in there, just play some ball."

In a modern offense, both Hall and Allen can coexist in a way that is great for the Jets. New York can scheme open Hall in the passing game while using Allen up the middle and between the tackles. The more the two play on the field together, the harder it will be for opposing teams to stop Gang Green.

That task, though, will be based on the creativity of offensive play-caller Frank Reich.

"We have some plays that are tagged for one or the other, but it's a great problem to have," Reich said. "You've got two No. 1 backs. Breece is, obviously ... our guy, but it'll be a mix."

Reich's comments also pour cool water on the heated rumors of a potential trade of Hall. New York is refusing to open trade dialogues at this time for their running back, but with Allen's breakout, the team may simply want to keep Allen as the starter going forward.

Hall, though, believes any trade rumor is based on the fanbase's point of view. Not with what the team wants.

"It's like if I have 100 yards, they love me," he said. "If I don't, everybody's like, 'Get him out of here.'"

Social media cleanse

The former second-round pick out of Iowa only further increased awareness of his standing with the Jets after seemingly deleting his social media this week. In the modern age of professional athletics coupled with social media, it's common to see outspoken individuals make cryptic posts or delete pages altogether to convey deeper meaning.

That doesn't appear to be the case either, though.

"I've had people threatening me and my family on social media," Hall said. "So that's not something that's good for your mental health that you should be looking at. So I'm just like, all right, if people think it's that serious, if you're willing to go that low, then it's like nothing that I need to look at."

There will always be a good and bad side to NFL fandom. Passion and loyalty are rare throughout modern society, but with that passion comes an overzealous attitude toward trolling their own athletes. Hall should never have to go through threats made on social media simply because he was injured over the last month.

That doesn't mean he wants out of New York, or the Jets want to move on from him either. Since arriving at the team last year, head coach Aaron Glenn has shared his intention to run a "by committee" approach to their running back room.

In short, it doesn't seem like Hall is going anywhere, but his role as the feature back in New York's offense has fundamentally changed—for better or worse.

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