JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone says running back Leonard Fournette was responding to racial slurs while yelling at a fan in Nashville, Tennessee last Thursday night.
Fournette declined to address the accusation in the locker room Monday on the advice of his agent.
Teammate and fellow running back T.J. Yeldon, however, said several fans directed racial slurs at Jacksonville players.
“Did I hear it? Yeah,” Yeldon said. “All the running backs and people on the offensive side were hearing the exchange. They were heckling at us all game, at him and all of us all game.
“All night. All night. All day they was calling us racial slurs, all game.”
Fournette was shown in a video released by TMZ telling someone in the stands he was going to “beat your (butt)” before two teammates pulled him away. Another clip shows Fournette near the bench yelling into the stands while Yeldon looks on.
Metro Nashville Police said Monday they have no record of any officer being contacted in regards to a complaint involving Fournette.
The Titans beat the Jaguars 30-9, handing Jacksonville its eighth loss in nine games.
Fournette managed 36 yards on 14 carries.
It was his first game back after serving a one-week suspension for getting into a fight with Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Shaq Lawson during a loss on Nov. 25. Fournette left the bench, ran across the field and punched Lawson during an altercation that broke out near the goal line.
Marrone said he spoke with Fournette after Monday’s walkthrough about the video.
“He said there was a racial slur, so that’s what was told to me,” Marrone said.
Asked whether the team will investigate the incident further, Marrone said: “No. I trust the player.”
Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell said he heard nothing about the incident until Monday.
“That didn’t happen to me, but I’ve seen it happen before,” Campbell said. “It’s sad when you have to deal with that in the midst of a game, but at the same time it sucks. You just have to stay focused on the game at hand and continue to try to push through.
“You never want to see that in a game, never. They’re trying to get you out your game. It’s sad in 2018 you have to deal with that, but that’s just how it goes.”
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AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville contributed to this report.
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