Jacksonville Jaguars third-year running back Leonard Fournette returned to Duval County on Monday to help organize and lead a team-sponsored protest on Tuesday following his extended stay at hometown New Orleans.
According to John Reid in The Florida Times-Union, Fournette is leaving New Orleans to march downtown with his teammates and Jacksonville residents in an effort to raise awareness to police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's (and others') death.
″Everyone in Duval County we will be meeting outside of city hall for 10 a.m. on Tuesday…… spread the word, let’s be the change love you guys,″ Fournette posted on his Twitter account Saturday, June 6.
Fournette, an LSU product, was selected by the Jaguars with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he has totaled over 1,000 rushing yards in two of his first three professional seasons. The New Orleans native, who had his team option declined by the Jaguars last month, previously encouraged Jacksonville's people to protest and march while he was away, and Jaguars players attended the demonstration.
Floyd's death sparked nationwide (and global) protests in every state and major U.S. city in support of police oversight and stopping racial profiling and disproportionate deaths to people of color in the custody of law enforcement. Fournette is one of many professional athletes speaking out against the injustices, and it comes at a time where even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had to apologize to players for how the league handled kneeling during the National Anthem a few years back.