Leonard Fournette: “Every Day, I’m Like, ‘Damn, I Really Got Cut.'”
June 28th, 2021
Happy ending aside, it was a rough football year for Leonard “Playoff Lenny” Fournette.
After growing up as a stud high school player, being dominant in college and then getting drafted No. 4 overall and having a stellar rookie season, Fournette set an extremely high bar for himself, so he explained last week to BSPN’s Jalen & Jacoby show.
But then Fournette got cut by the Jaguars on Aug. 31 — after Jacksonville couldn’t trade him. It left him feeling like he was punched in the gut.
“I think when I got cut, it kind of just set me back to what I used to do,” Fournette said. “You know, I had to get my rhythm back. It was bothering me all through the season when I got signed by the Buccaneers. Every day, I’m like, ‘Damn, I really got cut.’ So it was bothering me, too. So I had to just get my mind right, get adjusted. I was still new here, too.”
Joe appreciates Fournette’s candor. It almost reminds Joe of how stunned former guard Logan Mankins was when he was traded from the Belicheats to the Bucs in August of 2014. It took Mankins a full year to adjust. After a sketchy 2014 season, Mankins bounced back and was in the Pro Bowl a year later.
Joe is expecting big things from Fournette this season assuming, as Fournette says, he can “keep his mind right.”
TAMPA TWO rolls on through the offseason with legendary Derrick Brooks and Sage Ira Kaufman, the venerable JoeBucsFan.com columnist. Today’s discussion is on rings and running backs.
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June 28th, 2021 at 5:54 am
Hopefully his emotional maturity is stable now. Only head cases & covid variant can stop this team
June 28th, 2021 at 6:28 am
Blessed to finally have a descent backfield. Last year, our RB group went from a weakness to a strength and may be better this year. Defense can no longer stack the box nor double team our WRs.
I would love see KeShawn Vaughn make a jump this year. If he prove he has good hands, he’ll replace Giovani Bernad next year as a 3rd down option.
June 28th, 2021 at 6:31 am
Joe, what happened to RB /KR T.J Logan who tore his patellar tendon last year? Was this a career ending injury?
June 28th, 2021 at 6:31 am
Obviously a fragile ego. Let’s hope his serving of humble pie is finally agreeing with him.
June 28th, 2021 at 6:54 am
Very excited about our running attack this year……the addition of Gio Bernard completes the corps.
June 28th, 2021 at 7:22 am
I have a gut feeling that Fournette will have an outstanding year. His best ever. He has all the tools. As Joe says, if he can “keep his mind right.” Terrific talent.
June 28th, 2021 at 7:31 am
I was very excited when we picked up Fournette last year. Then disappointed with what we saw during the regular season. Playoff Lenny is who I expected and, as good as Rojo was in spots last year, I will be surprised if Playoff Lenny is not dominate this season.
June 28th, 2021 at 8:20 am
It doesnt get talked about much with Fournette but he made a nice comeback after his season got off to a sluggish start……In the middle of the year his role on the team was slashed and its safe to guess it was for a reason. Most guys probably would of faded away at that point but Fournette kept grinding. And when we needed him he was ready and he was deadly!!!
Gonna love seeing him and RoJo fight for snaps in 2021.
June 28th, 2021 at 8:25 am
It’s going to be an interesting battle for snaps between the RBs this season. Fournette had a forgettable regular season that he capped with a stellar postseason, and Rojo, when healthy, looked poised for a potential breakout season. Yet neither back is a natural pass-catcher, and while Fournette is better at pass protection, he still sometimes misreads the pass rush.
I’m looking forward to see what Bernard has to offer this offense. Brady loves using pass-catching RBs, creating nightmares in terms of defensive coverage.
June 28th, 2021 at 11:45 am
Funny how a Superbowl ring changes perspectives.
June 28th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Belicheat? I guess you don’t like Tom Brady either.
June 28th, 2021 at 12:24 pm
The way I see it, football at the PRO level is the best vs. the best from the past 15 or so years. All pro players are elite athletes! They are separated only by the amount of HARD WORK they put in perfecting their craft (including film study) and by their MENTAL STRENGTH!
TB transformed himself from a lower draft pick into the GOAT using this formula!
Last season, a self doubting LF transformed himself into Playoff Lenny using this formula!
LF can continue where he left off. He needs to put in the work and maintain an UNWAVERING BELIEF IN HIMSELF!
June 28th, 2021 at 1:29 pm
Where’s the JoeBoltsFan podcast!?! It’s been sorry missed. There’s another, more immediate repeat effort underway. Let’s Go Bolts!
June 28th, 2021 at 1:57 pm
Getting tired of the “Belicheat” stuff. Getting pretty old and juvenile. Never been a fan of making fun of someone’s name.
June 28th, 2021 at 6:06 pm
Getting cut and playing for a new team doesn’t automatically make running backs run like pansies.
The team signed Shady McCoy, drafted Vaughn, signed Fournette, and still Ronald Jones ran his tail off. Didn’t pout because he had competition, just ran hard on every carry. Fournette can’t say the same for himself. His contract is a poor investment.
June 29th, 2021 at 2:28 am
Leonard Fournette should let that resentment and shock get worse. As a psychoanalytic observer of what makes people succeed in any given field, the most common factor is a desire to prove to themselves and everyone else they are exceptional despite the often raw deals they were given previously. I am sure the shock and resentments he had from being cut were jet fuel to his incredible performance last season. If he can nurture that into a rage, he will have exceptional seasons as long as he can keep that rage going.
June 29th, 2021 at 2:46 am
The most memorable moment from the announcers during the Superbowl was when Leonard scored the official blow-out touchdown:
“Fournette…Fournette!…FOURNETTE!”