A free-agent working again introduced his plan to make a exceptional return to the NFL fairly ambitiously this previous weekend.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Tremendous Bowl Champion Leonard Fournette is eying a comeback in 2025, however not solely that — he ensures he’ll land atop the backfield depth chart wherever he goes.
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“I will likely be again taking part in subsequent yr and beginning……. 7,” Fournette stated on X following a lot of the last Sunday of the season’s video games.
I will likely be again taking part in subsequent yr and beginning……. 7
— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) January 6, 2025
Fournette was finest identified for his three-year stint with Tampa Bay alongside Tom Brady in 2020-22. He was notably efficient within the playoffs, serving to lead the crew to a Tremendous Bowl in 2020.
Since being launched by the Buccaneers in 2023, Fournette has floated round to a few groups, however hasn’t made sufficient of an impression to cement his place on an energetic roster.
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He signed with the Buffalo Payments observe squad in October 2023 and managed to swimsuit up for 2 video games, solely amassing 40 yards on 12 carries.
Fournette hasn’t performed within the NFL since, having been introduced in by the Cincinnati Bengals for a exercise this previous fall, however could not land a chance on the observe squad. The Bengals selected to signal former New York Giants working again Gary Brightwell as an alternative.
So it could be an uphill climb for the 29-year-old to safe a spot within the backfield someplace, not to mention turning into a starter, as he proclaimed.
He already has made considerably of a comeback earlier than, twice, nevertheless.
First after having a 2018 season plagued with accidents the place he posted career-worst numbers at 3.3 yards per carry in eight video games for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“It was actually the primary time—in my life, in soccer—I had a foul yr. A down yr,” Fournette stated heading into the 2019 season. “I handled an harm. Rather a lot was occurring. I wished to reinvent myself.
The notion was that Fournette’s time as a beginning working again within the NFL was over.
“Individuals doubting me and counting me out, I like that,” stated Fournette.
In 2019, he flipped the script and exploded for a spotlight marketing campaign the place he amounted 76.8 yards per sport and totaled out 1,152.
The Jaguars waived Fournette’s fifth-year choice after the 2019 season. Their entrance workplace was unable to commerce him, so he was neglected on waivers.
Fournette signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay that almost all did not count on to quantity to something. In his first season as a Buccaneer, he was galvanized to earn the nickname “Playoff Lenny,” which then transitioned to “Lombardi Lenny” after notching a landing within the Buccaneers’ Tremendous Bowl victory over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
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