JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Everyone knew Leonard Fournette wouldn't have much trouble running through potential tacklers, but he has now shown he can outrun them, too.
The NFL says the Jacksonville Jaguars' rookie running back reached a top speed of 22.05 mph during his 90-yard touchdown run against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. The NFL said it's the fastest any ball carrier has run this season.
Not just the fastest among running backs. The fastest among anybody who has run with the ball.
And yet, Fournette wasn't impressed by how fast he was moving, even though it came on his 28th carry of the Jaguars' 30-9 victory at Heinz Field.
"I ran faster than that in college," Fournette said of his days at LSU. "It's all about getting my legs back under me. ... I ran, like, 23 mph in college, so [I'm] just trying to get my old speed back."
The 6-foot-1, 228-pound Fournette, who ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, ran faster than anyone we've seen this season, including Kansas City receiver/returner Tyreek Hill, San Francisco receiver Marquise Goodwin, Arizona receiver J.J. Nelson and Tampa Bay receiver DeSean Jackson. Those players have each posted a sub-4.40 time in the 40, and Hill -- whose Twitter handle is @cheetah -- ran a 4.24 during his pro day.
Fournette, who rushed for 181 yards and two TDs against the Steelers, may not be impressed, but his teammates certainly are.
"Even the guy from Kansas City?" safety Tashaun Gipson asked, referring to Hill. "See, all right then, they shouldn't have said that. Tell them don't say that. Tell them leave that stat out, because I know [Fournette] isn't as fast as that guy.
"I know he's got home-run ability, I know he's got home-run speed, but, dang, 22 mph? That's crazy."
For comparison, Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt was clocked at 27.7 mph during his world-record 100-meter sprint at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin in 2009. Bolt covered the distance in 9.58 seconds.