Leonard Fournette is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). Born on January 18, 1995, he played college football at Louisiana State University and was drafted No. 4 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1st round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

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 Fournette had some success after being selected by the Jaguars, amassing more than 1,000 running yards in his first season. His relationship with the organization soon deteriorated as a result of his numerous injuries and suspensions, and he was eventually released after just three seasons with the squad. Later, he joined the Buccaneers, with whom he helped them defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

Fournette declared his plan to participate in the 2017 NFL Draft on December 5, 2016. He did not participate in the 2016 Citrus Bowl, in which LSU defeated Louisville to avoid any injuries. Fournette was the third-best prospect entering the NFL Combine when he graduated from college and was widely expected to be selected in the top ten picks in the forthcoming draft. He decided to simply take part in the vertical and 40-yard sprint at the NFL combine after weighing five pounds more than his playing weight in college. NFLDraftScout.com regarded him as the best running back prospect overall, and Pro Football Focus and Sports Illustrated ranked him second.

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Fournette was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was selected first overall in the running back class that year. Fournette signed a four-year, $27 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on May 17, 2017, which included a $18 million signing bonus. On September 10, 2017, Fournette made his NRG Stadium debut against the Houston Texans. Fournette suffered a hamstring injury in the opening game of the 2018 season against the New York Giants. Before playing against the New York Jets after missing the following two contests, he exacerbated his injury and was declared out indefinitely.

The Jaguars turned down Fournette’s fifth-year option on his contract on May 1, 2020, preventing him from becoming a free agency in 2021. The Jaguars were unable to trade Fournette, thus on August 31, 2020, they released him. Fournette and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a one-year contract on September 6, 2020. Fournette contributed to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-9 defeat in Super Bowl LV by rushing for 89 yards and a touchdown and hauling in four passes for 46 yards. The nickname “Postseason Lenny” was given to Fournette for his outstanding playoff performance; it later changed to “Lombardi Lenny” after he scored a touchdown in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Fournette re-signed with the Buccaneers on March 31, 2021, for a $3.25 million, one-year contract. After the National Football League’s uniform numbers rule was altered in April 2021, Fournette was one of the first players to change his jersey number. He chose to put on the number 7 he had previously worn while attending LSU. Fournette re-signed with the Buccaneers on March 23, 2022, for a three-year, $21 million deal.