NFL free agent Leonard Fournette managed to escape unharmed after his SUV caught fire in a terrifying incident.
The former Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back was driving his car on Tuesday morning when it burst into flames, with the reason still unclear. Fournette posted a video of his burnt car at the side of a busy highway, but assured his followers he wasn't hurt during the incident.
The 28-year-old walked safely around the remains of his vehicle while filming his point of view for Instagram. "Man it was one of those days today, but I would like thank God, my car caught on fire while I was driving, But I'am still blessed," Fournette posted.
On May 14, Fournette posted a picture of himself in the SUV, with the car in perfect condition parked at his home. Six weeks later and it's now charred and unrecognisable, but Fournette thankfully managed to make it out unharmed.
Fournette remains a free agent after leaving the Buccaneers, with the franchise undergoing a transition following the departure of Tom Brady. Fournette arrived at the team in 2020 after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and won the Super Bowl that same year.
Before being released by the Buccaneers, Fournette made his intentions very clear now that Brady was no longer at the franchise. "Winning is everything," Fournette said in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times.
"That’s all. And in my last three years here, that’s all we’ve done. But since my guy (Brady) left - that’s why I came - so my time here was up."
But the running back market remains quiet this offseason, with the demand for players in that position at an all time low. The likes of Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs are still waiting on new deals after being franchise tagged, and there have been multiple releases around the league.
Ezekiel Elliott was released by the Dallas Cowboys, and Dalvin Cook was released by the Minnesota Vikings. Both franchises felt they had suitable alternatives in Tony Pollard and Alexander Mattison, and let their usual starters go.
Therefore, Fournette is further down the priority list, although it's likely that there will be a surge of interest as the 2023 season draws closer. Fournette picked up just 668 rushing yards and three touchdowns off 189 carries (3.5 yards per attempt) last season.
While it wasn't his greatest performance from a running perspective, Fournette did have a bigger part to play further downfield. The running back finished the season with 73 receptions and was the Buccaneers' leader in total yards.
