There's no veiling the obvious, in that Super Bowl LV is predicted to be decided by either or , and it likely will. That being said, there's often an overlooked player who steps up big to steal the limelight from those already standing at center stage and might just be that guy. When the face off with the on Sunday, it'll be about more to Fournette than fighting to hoist his first-ever Lombardi trophy -- it'll also be about what doing that would mean for his road of redemption."Just for me to be in this position I'm in now -- I'm just grateful," Fournette told media on Tuesday. "Coming from being cut and now playing in the with my new team and my new organization -
Terrell Owens Jersey - it feels great." A former fourth-overall pick of the in 2017, Fournette was one of the final big talents sent packing from the shattered franchise when he was cut loose in 2020. He wasted no time signing on with the Buccaneers, but there were questions about his fit in the offense when considering the presence of atop the depth chart and two-time All-Pro running back having joined the team in the offseason. In Jacksonville, he was the cornerstone of the offensive attack and even during the height of "Minshew Magic" from then
Ron Jaworski Jersey -rookie quarterback . In Tampa, he was about to become anything but the headliner."It was difficult for me," Fournette said. "You're coming from a team where the offense ran through you. And you come to a team where you're part of the offense, so it's different. I had to accept my role and just ball."That didn't happen right out of the gate though, with Fournette rushing for just five yards with no touchdowns on five attempts in his debut with the Bucs in the season opener against the . He'd bounce back mightily with a 103-yard, two touchdown performance in Week 2 against the , but the remainder of his season was often anchored with a ma sive dip in production as compared to even basic standards, as he struggled to find his niche under fiery head coach Bruce Arians.But as it can usually go in the NFL, an injury cleared the path for Fournette to show he's still got a lot of the LSU kid in him -- becoming a focal point for offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich when Jones went down with injury. Fournette has led the team in rushing yards in each of the three playoff games along with having racked up 313 total yards from scrimmage along with five combined touchdowns, helping the Bucs
Eric Wilson Jersey average just under 31 points per game over the past three outings, each being on the road. "It's very, very hard when you're a superstar and you're the focal point of the offense and you come to a different team and you're basically a role player for a while," Arians said of Fournette ahead of their matchup with the Chiefs. "It's a very hard role to accept. I just told him, 'This team is special and you're a huge part of it. Embrace your role -- you never know when your role is going to change.'"Then, Ro got hurt. He got COVID and then he got hurt. I'm really, really proud of Leonard and the way he's handled it."It's a sentiment shared by running backs coach Todd McNair, who himself admits Fournette has battled through the adaptation of morphing into something he hasn't been since he was in Pop
Harold Carmichael Jersey Warner, if then: a role player. "The biggest thing with Leonard was accepting that he wasn't the superstar and the only guy, and wasn't 'The Man,'" McNair told media. "Once he accepted that, he's been a trooper, man."Now readying to appear in the Super Bowl, there's plenty of drive in him to impact the game and momentum is on his side. It stands to reason Leftwich and Arians will continue to use him as the steady hand that doubles as a receiver out of the backfield, and he's ready to reward them for the opportunity -- while understanding a defensive front that boasts and won't be an easy out. Still, as evidenced this postseason, the role of RB1 is firmly in the hands of Fournette with Jones spelling him as required, and Arians understands the best way to defend Mahomes is to own time of po se sion and keep him on the sidelines.And, quiet as it's kept, the Chiefs are allowing an average of 120.5 rushing yards this postseason in their two games played. That could set the stage for Fournette to have a big day only 200 miles southwest of an organization that initially welcomed him with open arms in 2017, only to unceremoniously release him three years later and with a heaping bowl of toxicity attached. Fournette has seen the dark side of the NFL, one that pins you to the valley, and as he now stands only four quarters
Reggie White Jersey from reaching its summit -- expect him to be more focused than he's ever been in his life.
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