Bills Coach Speaks Out On Recently Released Running Back

The Buffalo Bills released running back Leonard Fournette from their practice squad this week, and head coach Sean McDermott spoke out on the decision afterward.

“We wish him well,” McDermott said, via Matt Parrino of NewYorkUpstate.com. “He did a great job while he was here. Not going to get into the reasons why or anything, and it wasn’t anything conduct-wise or anything like that. He did a phenomenal job. … We move forward and we wish him well and thank him for his time when he was with us here.”

The Bills initially signed Fournette to their practice squad back in late October. He played in just two games, carrying the ball 12 times for 40 yards.

Fournette, who played his collegiate football at LSU, was originally selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the fourth overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.

He played in 13 games during his rookie campaign, rushing for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 3.9 yards per carry. He also caught 36 passes for 302 yards and a score.

Fournette was then limited to just eight games in 2018, but the following year, he had his most productive season to date, racking up 1,152 yards and three touchdowns, logging 4.3 yards per attempt. In addition, he hauled in 76 receptions for 522 yards.

The 28-year-old went on to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that ensuing offseason, and the next year, he was a part of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl-winning club. He would spend three seasons in Tampa Bay overall, with his best campaign coming in 2021 when he totaled 812 yards and eight touchdowns as rusher while snaring 69 balls for 454 yards and a couple of scores as a receiver.

Still, Fournette’s lack of efficiency throughout his NFL tenure (career average of 3.9 yards per carry) has been a big sticking point.

The Bills will battle the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this Sunday.