Jaguars coach Doug Marrone benched rookie running back Leonard Fournette for violating team rules on Sunday, but Marrone said after the game that he’s not expecting any problems with Fournette going forward.
Marrone told reporters that Fournette will play next week when the Jaguars take on the Chargers, and that there are no concerns about Fournette’s professionalism.
The Jaguars clearly wanted to send a message to Fournette that being a Top 5 draft pick doesn’t make him above the team’s rules, and it may have worked: The Jaguars were just fine with Chris Ivory filling in for Fournette as the top running back, and they won without him.
Now 5-3 in his first season at the helm in Jacksonville, Marrone deserves a lot of credit for the way he has built a disciplined team. And in the long run, it may be good for Fournette to learn that his coach runs a tight ship.