Did Jags Try To Blackball Playoff Lenny?
August 16th, 2021
“Tom, I want to thank you for driving Leonard’s price down.”
Based on what Bucs running back Playoff Lenny said last week, it smells as if the Jags tried to run Playoff Lenny out of the league, or at least cost him millions of dollars in potential salary.
Of course, Playoff Lenny came up huge in the postseason last year, scoring a touchdown in each of the four Bucs’ postseason games. His touchdowns against the Packers and against the Chiefs in the NFC title game and Super Bowl, respectively, were monster runs.
On his touchdown in the Super Bowl, Playoff Lenny was untouched, which he said is a running back’s dream.
When asked about his up-and-down year last year, which included him getting upset that he wasn’t getting the rock enough and realizing his role after a one-on-one with Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians, Playoff Lenny said he embraced it and dominated when the time came.
“Trying to prove everyone wrong, that I wasn’t the guy that they said I was,” Playoff Lenny said of his goal last year and this year with the Bucs, including winning another ring.
“They” would be the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jags cut Playoff Lenny right before the regular season began last season. In part, it was to avoid a bonus Playoff Lenny was due.
Jacksonville totally imploded the past two years after narrowly losing the 2018 AFC title game to Tom Brady and the Belicheats. To hear Jalen Ramsey, who also was part of the Jags but got out, Jags management, specifically inept former general manager Dave Caldwell and former team strongman Tom Coughlin, sure seemed hostile to players.
And Playoff Lenny stopped just short last week of saying the Jags were trying to blackball him after he was released.
“That was the biggest thing, about my character,” Playoff Lenny said. “Just come out [with the Bucs] and be the best I can be. And what I know I can be.
“I felt like I just wanted to be a winner. I just wanted to win games. And it wasn’t happening at the time in Jacksonville.”
Playoff Lenny admitted it was tough last year coming to grips he wasn’t the No. 1 running back but he believes he grew from the experience.
“It was difficult,” Playoff Lenny said. “You have to understand, I’ve been the No. 1 guy my whole life. LSU, Jacksonville, always been No. 1. I think [a new perspective] was kind of what I needed too. Just to sit back and realize what was at risk for myself.”
So Joe point-blanked asked Playoff Lenny if the Jags tried to blackball him. He didn’t directly answer the question but he surely never denied it either.
“What do you think?” Playoff Lenny said. “You see me everyday now. Do y’all think it was true? Y’all been around me for almost a year now.
“Who knows man?”
So yeah, if the Jags tried to put the word out among league general managers and coaches that Playoff Lenny was some malcontent, last year sure proved to Joe that they were way off base. To see how Playoff Lenny interacts with his teammates both at One Buc Palace and on social media, he comes across as a team guy.
(Joe really wishes he could share the conversation Joe heard from the bleachers last week between Playoff Lenny and Ronald Jones at practice. While it was politically incorrect and perhaps also embarrassing, it was hilarious. If Playoff Lenny is some sort of malcontent, he’s doing a helluva job hiding it.)
Playoff Lenny sure seems he likes playing for the Bucs. He said there are Pro Bowlers and Hall of Fame players all up and down the roster and if a player busts his tail against this type of competition, he can’t help but get better.
Playoff Lenny also said a mental error here or there, with the roster so loaded, likely means you are on the bench. That, he said, keeps everyone on his toes and forces nightly studying or risk being benched.
Oh, and he loves his various nicknames. Playoff Lenny said Bucs fans call him by his nicknames all the time and he enjoys it. Playoff Lenny said it even happened last week when he was pumping gas, Bucs fans were giving him shoutouts.
Life is good in this town when you bring home the bacon.
August 16th, 2021 at 6:05 am
It’s perception. Look at how the narrative is different with Deshaun Watson. Lenny was labeled a “malcontent” and that’s what traveled with him.
Winning helps too. I thought the Bucs were a mess of a franchise! The Jags?! Whoa!
August 16th, 2021 at 6:08 am
I can definitely see it. From what I understood, Coughlin was a very strict guy. Seems very surprising to me that, he did decent in NY, but when he “came back home” to Jacksonville, he went full dictator seemingly. His my way or the highway policy definitely didn’t help, perhaps there were too many young guys compared to NY? Maybe since he was in a high position, it got to his head? Either way, glad Lenny is here and is contributing and having fun. Keep it up! Good stuff too, Joe. Love it
August 16th, 2021 at 6:14 am
Lenny was almost thrown off the Bucs last season lol
August 16th, 2021 at 6:17 am
He’s says all that and almost got cut by the Bucs. Because of a me first attitude when you had your ass kissed your whole sports life.
August 16th, 2021 at 6:43 am
Hardball owner from a different culture
August 16th, 2021 at 7:15 am
Jags lost 2018 AFC Championship, for 2017 season.
August 16th, 2021 at 8:14 am
It wouldn’t surprise me if he was badmouthed by the Jags…..but blackball is extreme….and really, what would be in it for the Jags….if Lenny was poison, then they would want hem to wind up in their division.
Glad we have him and glad he’s affordable…..we have a fantastic corps of RBs.
August 16th, 2021 at 8:19 am
We have a good stable
August 16th, 2021 at 8:32 am
I’ll be glad when we let Lenny walk after the season & resign rojo , & Bernard
…Rojo the better back , I just can’t take all that tip toeing Lenny does to be 230lbs
GoBucs!
August 16th, 2021 at 9:03 am
Of course they tried to blackball him. You need look no further than the multimillion dollar settlement the NFL reached with Kaepernick and Reid to know it is a common practice. The reason they settled that suit was no public records and no admission of guilt.
August 16th, 2021 at 9:48 am
Fournette….. FOURnette……FOURNETTE! Without a doubt, the best call of the game! That’s when we as fans just sat back and watched the magic.
BFS76: There are over 2000 players that suit up for NFL teams every year. With an average lifespan of less than four years, I’ll let you do the run rate on how many have played in the last decade. 2 cases with settlements tells us that blackballing is a decidedly uncommon practice. TBBF said it best: Why wouldn’t you want a malcontent to join another team? Chemistry is fragile. Put poison in another team’s chemistry and watch them implode.
August 16th, 2021 at 11:29 am
BA deserves much credit for keeping “bruised ego Lenny” on the squad. That healthy scratch, sit your ass on the bench move, payed huge dividends in the postseason.
Give the gold star to BA for keeping a highly diverse team in check. Lenny didn’t see the better offer in FA.
Also, Lenny gets credit for his performance in the playoffs. He didn’t pull the Aaron Rodgers mega pout BS.
August 16th, 2021 at 11:32 am
I mean literally go look at what happened. The jags were so hostile to players with their previous administration the NFLPA had to warn players to not sign with them due to the insurmountable number of grievances against the team.
That alone should show you that yes he probably was black balled.
August 16th, 2021 at 2:07 pm
I don’t think he proved anyone wrong and he wasn’t blackballed. It’s easy to see that he’s a diva and BA had to bring him back to earth. He’s a good compliment to Jones and I would argue that with a 3rd down back now in the fold, we can release him if he acts up again.
August 16th, 2021 at 3:42 pm
Lenny is still a very young man and sometimes folks need to be humbled in order to fight for and reach their full potential. I wouldn’t be surprised if the jags tried to blackball this kid and Coughlin’s style ain’t gonna cut it for much longer with young people being more sensitive nowadays. Arian’s style of being a hard a$$ and giving hugs is the best way to coach IMHO.
August 16th, 2021 at 6:45 pm
@Joe —
What was Ronald Jones doing around here last week? Do tell.
In several seasons Brady has prospered with a two-headed backfield. Looks like 2 or 3 will be contributing this season. Is bad for individual player state but wonderful for team effectiveness.
August 16th, 2021 at 6:51 pm
Biff Barker, very well stated.
August 16th, 2021 at 9:28 pm
Always someone else’s fault.
Always someone out to get him.
Plays the victim like a champ.