TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running back and Leonard Fournette, born in New Orleans, will start against the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s NFC division game, coach Bruce Arians said Friday.
Ronald Jones, who regularly returns to the run-back, sustaining a quad injury and missing last week’s wildcard game against Washington, will be a “game-time decision,” Arians said.
“Ro, has gotten better today – he will be a race time decision,” Arians said after Friday’s practice, which was conducted indoors on the grass. “But Leonard will start the game, and we’ll see how Ro is and at full speed, then he gets his normal reps.”
Even if Jones, who returned to practice on a limited basis on Thursday, can play, Fournette, who rushed 93 yards last week and tacked on 39 receiving yards, will still open the game.
“He’s a great player and he played very, very well last week,” Arians said of Fournette, who only found out just before the game that he would start last week. “I’ve trusted him all year.”
Fournette acknowledged the challenges of taking on another role this season in Tampa Bay as a backup, describing it as a “humbling process” and that he “wasn’t playing as much as he was used to”.
But he believes this move has extended his career. He feels fresher than ever in the past at the end of the season, and feels less crowded when surrounded by the guns of Tampa Bay, including those in his own conference room.
“At first I looked at the bad from not getting the ball, but in the end it helps my career life,” said Fournette, who was personally recruited by Tom Brady when he was released from Jacksonville. Brady texted him saying they could use his help.
“I felt like this was the perfect decision for me,” said Fournette, who turned down another opportunity to move to a team where he would have been the center of the attack, opting instead for Tampa Bay. “I love it here, to be honest. We have a brotherhood that is doing well now. We work hard every day to make each other better.”
Arians praised Fournette for embracing a different type of role and putting the team first.
“He’s been great. As soon as he got here, we explained what the situation was: ‘Your role can change in an instant,’ said Arians. ‘Just like last week. And: ‘Be ready. And he has. He’s practiced hard, he’s prepared and I can’t say enough about him – he’s a great player and he’s doing well. “