The Rush: Leonard Fournette on Tom Brady, vaxxed Bucs and giving back to NOLA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette is on The Rush, revealing the surprising way in which his bond was forged with Tom Brady, why he was one of the last Bucs to get the COVID vaccine, and lessons he’d give his younger self as a rookie in Jacksonville. Plus, the New Orleans native is giving back to his community in a big way. Check out Leonard Cares NOLA to learn more about how you can join Leonard in helping New Orleanians recover from Hurricane Ida.
Video Transcript
JARED QUAY: I got you on my fantasy team, so score a couple of touchdowns, man. Just go ahead. You know, run the score up if you need to.
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I got you, my guy. I got you.
JARED QUAY: What's up, everybody? I'm here with philanthropist and reigning Super Bowl champion, Leonard Fournette. How are you doing today, Leonard?
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I'm good. Thanks for having me, man.
JARED QUAY: I'm happy to have you, man. So you went from being Playoff Lenny to Super Bowl Lenny to Presidential Lenny. Are we week one Lenny for the game tonight?
LEONARD FOURNETTE: Oh, definitely, man. It's great to be back out there, and it's great to have the fans back too. You know, we got a little glimpse of them at practice. And the energy they was bringing every time someone caught the ball, someone made a big run, you know, I think that's what we need, especially when we had our joint practices against the Titans. So I think the energy for this first game is gonna be great.
JARED QUAY: In your career in Jacksonville, you had a lot of and ups and downs. And now heading into year five, you have a Super Bowl under your belt. What's some advice you would give to rookie Leonard Fournette?
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I would just say to the younger me, you know, pick the people you consider as your friends and your family [? wise. ?] Because when I got cut, a lot of people just disappeared, you know what I mean? And another thing-- the biggest thing Calais always used to tell us, man, about just saving our money and things like that. And financially, I'm great, but still there's a lot of purchases I wish I didn't like-- you know, I could have just saved my money.
That's the biggest thing your brother always spoke to me about because he was my locker mate in Jacksonville. And he was a big guy on financial literacy, and he always tried to school us with whatever he can. So that's probably the two things right there.
JARED QUAY: Calais is a great mentor. But even now, you kind of got a newer kind of cooler mentor because you play football with the GOAT. And based on your Instagram, you enjoy the hell out of Tom Brady, man. What's the relationship like?
LEONARD FOURNETTE: Definitely, man. You know, he's older, you know? So it's great. You know, I'm trying to bring the young guys with the older guys, and it match so well. And not saying just because of age. You know, he's kind of hip too. He has his sons. He has his daughter, you know.
So I know my biggest thing, I try to keep him as hip as I can. I might come in playing rap music. He'll be like, hey, Lenny what you playing? Who that is? You know what I mean? It's my man. Check him out, you know? Yeah, go listen to that. He'll say, I got you. I got you. So it's vice versa. You know, he put me on a lot of country songs. I don't really listen to country music like that.
JARED QUAY: If there's one concert or one artist that you guys can both go to and visit and truly enjoy, who would be the artist that you and Tom Brady could enjoy the concert?
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I love Adele. Adele.
JARED QUAY: OK.
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I love Adele. Adele and probably Sam Smith.
JARED QUAY: Oh, OK. That's interesting. OK. So you guys play the Cowboys tonight. Dallas will be without starting offensive guard Zack Martin, who tested positive for COVID. Your team, on the other hand, is one of two teams in the league that's 100% vaccinated on both players and personnel. Do you feel like you guys have an advantage because of that?
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I'm not gonna say it's an advantage, but I think we're aware of what's going on, you know, and how fast that anyone can attract it, you know? So that's the biggest thing. And I think I was probably one of the last members on our team to take it because I didn't know too much about it, you know? So what I did every day, you know, I sat in with our doctors, like what's the high and low about this vaccine? Should I take it? What's gonna happen? Can I still catch it? Even though you still can.
But my biggest thing is team first. It's team first, you know what I mean? So I don't want half the starters to be out of the game because of me because I'm sick. And that'd looked bad. That'd look bad on me. So that's why I just took it.
JARED QUAY: I know you're focused on ball, but your mind has to be on your native land of New Orleans. How are your friends and family back home in the wake of Hurricane Ida?
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I mean, right now, everyone's just recovering, you know? But my biggest concern when it first happened, you know, a lot of people don't have the funds to get out there, you know, to leave. People are still working, you know what I'm saying? Some people might be still affected from Hurricane Katrina, building a house, things like that. So my biggest thing was give back to my city. I'm making sure to use my platform the best way I can to help my city and get other people on board just to help out or lend a hand.
JARED QUAY: Your Leonard Fournette Foundation donated $100,000 to hurricane relief efforts, and now you got a way for all of us to help out if we have the means. Tell us a little bit more about Leonard Cares NOLA.
LEONARD FOURNETTE: I have a tweet on my Twitter. You know, that's the organization where you can donate the money. It's about the people. It's about the future. So hopefully I can affect someone that's younger than me. And maybe they'll be the number one pick one day, top five, whatever. And [INAUDIBLE] tragic. I hope it don't happen, but it happened in this city the same back in my city. They can be the helping hand and come back and say, you know what, Leonard did this. Let me do this. I want to be the best example I can be for the younger kids and for my city.
JARED QUAY: That's big, man. And if there's anything I know about New Orleans, they always gonna bounce back, man. That's what they do.
LEONARD FOURNETTE: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
JARED QUAY: Well look, Leonard, thank you so much for rushing with me today and for giving back to your community in New Orleans.
LEONARD FOURNETTE: Yes, sir.
JARED QUAY: Good luck against the Cowboys tonight, man. And stay safe and help win some games this year, man. Good luck.
LEONARD FOURNETTE: Yes. Thank y'all for having me. Y'all be safe.
