Following a game where he was the absolute workhorse of the Bucs offense, running back Leonard Fournette disclosed on Twitter that he has been dealing with a very painful injury while trying to help his team make the playoffs. In a since-deleted tweet, Fournette disclosed that part of the reason it looks like he has not been able to run with the speed and acceleration he and Bucs fans would like him to is due to a Lisfranc injury he has been suffering through.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons “Lisfranc (midfoot) injuries result if bones in the midfoot are broken or ligaments that support the midfoot are torn. The severity of a Lisfranc injury can vary widely — from a simple injury involving one midfoot joint to a complex injury involving many midfoot joints and broken bones.”

Many players and especially running backs end up missing time with similar injuries.

Bucs Didn’t List Fournette On Injury Report Last Week

This surprising information brings up several very serious questions. First off, when did Fournette suffer the injury initially? If it was prior to last night’s Cardinals game, why was it not divulged by the Bucs in their injury reports?

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: USA Today

Fournette has been conspicuously absent from any injury report this past week and did not even receive a veteran “rest day” as several of his teammates did. Furthermore, if the Bucs are aware of the injury (which I am assuming they are) how in the world are they continuing to use Fournette in the manner they are.

On Sunday he out-snapped “starter” Rachaad White 49 to 29 and was in on 60% of the team’s offensive plays. What’s more Fournette was the undisputed focal point of the offense logging a team high 20 carries and tied for the team high with 10 targets in the passing game.

The injury no doubt was an issue on the team’s second drive of the game when Fournette attempted three straight runs needing just a yard to convert a new set of downs and failed to do so resulting in a turnover on downs for the Bucs offense. Why are head coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich allowing for this type of decision-making if they are aware of this injury and how it can affect Fournette and the offense as a whole?

Do they really trust the other running back options (White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Giovani Bernard) that little that they feel a hobbled Fournette is still their best option for success? Why have they not disclosed this information as is required by the NFL’s Personnel (Injury) Report Policy?

Kudos to Fournette for showing how much he cares about the game and his team in gutting out what must be an excruciating injury. But this information only brings many more questions about the Bucs’ decision-makers this season.