Leonard Fournette Opens Up
September 23rd, 2020
The beast of the Buccaneers backfield went national yesterday and shared a few gems.
No, Joe’s not talking about Ronald Jones. The man in question is 25-year-old Leonard Fournette, the thundering No. 4 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Fournette hopped on The Rich Eisen Show and opened up on his departure from the Jaguars and his new Tampa home.
Here are the highlights.
*When the Jags cut him, Fournette said Jags coach Doug Marrone told him he was not a scheme fit. There wasn’t much chatter after that. “It’s no harm. No hard words. No hurt. A new start for me here in Tampa Bay,” Fournette said. “It was shocking. You know, I was shocked. I didn’t really have any words to say, to be honest. I just shook his hand; I went to see a couple of the players and a couple of coaches. … I moved on.”
*Free agency meant a lot of teams knocking on his door and a phone call from Tom Brady, Fournette said. “I had a lot of choices. I just felt like Tampa was the place for me as far as the position they are in is ideal.” He went on to name many Bucs players, and added that many players around the NFL called him with recruiting pitches.
*Fournette said his comment about not having a quarterback in Jacksonville wasn’t really what he meant to say and he didn’t mean it to be a smack at Jags QB Gardner Minshew. Per Fournette, he just meant to say Brady’s presence and respect from defenses can help his game..
*Fournette marvels how serious Brady takes football. “It hurts him” is how Fournette described Brady’s reaction to football mistakes. He went on to call him a “great motivator.”
*LeSean McCoy is “funny as hell,” per Fournette, while Ronald Jones is a quiet guy. Fournette said he’s a funny guy and his been around many funny dudes but Shady has him beat. He’s also enjoying being around an older running back for a change.
*Fournette said he’s still learning his teammates and predicts the Bucs offense will be jelling better in the coming weeks.
September 23rd, 2020 at 5:41 pm
Nothing funny about that dropped easy TD pass.
September 23rd, 2020 at 5:53 pm
Nice story!! 😀
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:03 pm
man what a good if not great pic up, glad you’re on our team leonard, good luck and stay healthy please, as always go bucs
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:16 pm
Great fit and great opportunity for Fournette to shine. I like his attitude too. Looks like he’s having a blast out there. Telling the O line all he needs is a crease. Olineman love that stuff.
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Great stuff Joe. Really enjoy insights like that.
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:24 pm
Leonard Fournette was a personal favorite coming out of college and I always wanted to see him run here. How lucky we all are to have a premier back playing for us. If you don’t like his game, you don’t understand football. Once this offense clicks, the rest of the NFL is in trouble.
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:29 pm
“Give me an inch and I’ll take it a mile.”
-Leonard Fournette
That’s the new slogan for Bucs 2020 Campaign.
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:35 pm
He’s the alpha dog in the backfield. Just getting started.
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:36 pm
Fournette helps to make our offense complete…..very, very happy to have him….you can add him to the list of players we need to find money to keep….
LVD, Godwin to be specific…..probably Shaq…..
My players on the bubble…..D. Smith, Brate, Gronk
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:48 pm
Reminded me how Adrian Peterson used to run once he gets in the open. He and Jones need to be on the field together
September 23rd, 2020 at 6:54 pm
Tampabaybucfan … What’s interesting about your post is you posed a problem (people we need to pay) and the solution (people we can cut). Well done.
You should apply for the AGM position if it comes available.
September 23rd, 2020 at 7:00 pm
I would love to see a play or two with 2 running backs. Then again I finally got my Scotty Miller jet sweep which did squat so…
September 23rd, 2020 at 7:06 pm
The dropped pass was not good, obviously,
But that spin move to get open was a pretty incredible veteran move.
I’m liking what we have in this guy, I’m hoping he can tighten it up and get on the TB 12 diet, turn back the clock a bit.
September 23rd, 2020 at 7:15 pm
Give my man the ball. No more ROJO!
September 23rd, 2020 at 7:38 pm
It would be great if he does what smokina Blount did for the patriots. Leave a bad team and join the Brady bunch and win a ring. We could use that here at the den of depression. He looked good on those breakaways. Like the highlights other teams get. Agree with Arians keep using all 3 keep them fresh. Shady won’t drop too many passes.
September 23rd, 2020 at 7:39 pm
I love the I and dual RB dual TE formations. pitches, screens. The more complex using all of our weapons will make it tough for DC and opponent defensive players to figure us out. This also will play into Brady’s strength “Dissecting Defenses”
Brady could pass for way more than 5000 yards using the scoring positions in multiple set formations per game. Takes good growth.
GO BUCS!!
September 23rd, 2020 at 7:47 pm
Can’t believe the Jags let this beast go. I know there had to be more to it. This may very well be the Bucs steal of the century.
September 23rd, 2020 at 7:47 pm
The 2nd half is where he feeds…..KEEP THAT! Mr BA
September 23rd, 2020 at 8:33 pm
Can’t believe the Marrone and the Jags let this beast go.
Not a Scheme Fit my Azz!
There is always room in any scheme for a power back with speed, who can catch passes and block.
I am so glad he is a Buc!
September 23rd, 2020 at 8:46 pm
National media is ripping him apart right now for his comments about being hard on Brady
September 23rd, 2020 at 9:08 pm
Here’s the actual link to the segment Joe forgot to include:
September 23rd, 2020 at 10:46 pm
Not a scheme fit? Then go get a pass catching back and keep Fournette for the three yards/cloud of dust situations. Oh well. Our gain!
September 23rd, 2020 at 10:50 pm
Seriously… I can’t believe we landed this guy…
September 24th, 2020 at 12:30 am
Awesome story. As bad as we have been, who the hell would want to be a Jaguars fan the last couple of years? Anyone with a lick of talent gets tossed overboard.
September 24th, 2020 at 1:41 am
you see…
tom called him after working out all the bucs backs…
he knew we needed a go to back, so he lobbied for fournette…
what tom wants, tom gets
September 24th, 2020 at 1:45 am
give the starting runnig back job to fournette…
have rojo slim back down a bit…regain his dashing speed in space that he showed in college…
and use him in space properly as an all around back…let him do what he does best…
he is not really a between the tackles type guy…
he’s more of an around the edge and dash thru open space type runner…
let him get back to his natural game…
and let fournette pound the rock
September 24th, 2020 at 1:46 am
the new hashtag of the week
#NoMoRoJo
September 24th, 2020 at 1:49 am
vince mcmahon is trying to set it up after the season:
fournette vs minshew
steel cage match
mcmahon said:
“no one throws minshew under the bus like that”
September 24th, 2020 at 7:20 am
Awesome pick up!! Stay healthy and we good!! Go Bucs!!
September 24th, 2020 at 7:57 am
Fournette completes the offense.
September 24th, 2020 at 8:55 am
LSU players = Super Bowl run.
September 24th, 2020 at 12:07 pm
46 yd TD run. What a beautiful sight to see. Its been a long time. Stay tuned. More to come. Now if we only had a LT. Well, I guess you can’t expect everything.
September 24th, 2020 at 12:51 pm
You are right Tom! When D. Smith was in the draft Lindy’s said in their draft issue that he should play Guard. They were right but the Bucs put the big hunk at LT instead and it has been a key mistake ever since. He has some brute strength but he is too lazy at LT and not fast enough on his feet to stop speed rushers. He gets lots of penalties and is a poor blocker on runs. In his first game with Brady he couldn’t even stop a big 2d string backup sacker who then sacked Brady. Our old Offensive Line Coach, clueless Warhop, who actually called D. Smith one of the top LTs in the NFL, is now OL Coach with the Jax Jaguars. So the Bucs need to offer Jacksonville D. Smith right now for a first round pick and then move Wirfs to LT and Haeg can hold down RT. Then use that first pick for a decent Rookie RT in the next draft.
September 24th, 2020 at 3:01 pm
One good run and he’s the “beast of the bucs” … You are weird man!! Rojo had a really good run against the saints that Fornette couldn’t have made! He also was the first to score… Before Fornettes ONE GOOD RUN he had a negative grade!! Rojo had been OBVIOUSLY the better back up until ONE GOOD RUN!! Rewatch that game and Fornette goes down waaaaaay too easy for such a big guy!! One ankle tackle and he’s down where Rojo beats defenses up because he runs hard…. This is only game 3 and up until that point Fornette had been horrible and actually had a negative grade!!! So keep feeding them both and let the cream rise
September 25th, 2020 at 5:38 pm
Glad to have you here Leonard . I was a big fan of James Wilder , and you remind me of him . Except , of course you’re a hard charging complete back , and we’re lucky to have you . Drive on Leonard!!! We’ve been waiting for a man of your ability, perseverance, and talent. Can’t wait to see you in the big one. We’re going to make history , and you’re gonna help us get there. Much respect, Jack Morgan.