Leonard Fournette apologizes for viral video that appeared to show fight with teammate

ByABC News
August 11, 2016, 12:50 PM

— -- LSU running back Leonard Fournette apologized Wednesday on Twitter after a video showing the running back "slap boxing" with a teammate went viral.

TMZ posted the video, which shows Fournette, listed at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, sparring with offensive lineman Garrett Brumfield (6-3, 294) on Wednesday afternoon.

Michael Bonnette, LSU's associate athletic director of communications, told TMZ Sports that the school had talked with both players and determined they weren't fighting.

Bonnette described "slap boxing" as "a game where they basically have to touch the other person twice."

"What you don't see is when the video cuts off, they hug it out," Bonnette told TMZ Sports. "They're not mad at each other. No one was injured."

LSU coach Les Miles said he talked to his team about the video on Thursday.

"Back when I was a kid, we all thought that it was really cool to ... we didn't call it shadowboxing, we called it slap boxing, and we thought it was really cool until the first time somebody hit you in the nose and suddenly it became really not so cool," he said.

"I think we're finding out that it can be not so cool. I think there's no question that they were involved in a game called 'tap out,' and it was certainly entertaining for the guys that were doing the video. 'That didn't count' as they took score.

"Again, you make the point certainly that let's not be at risk athletically for injury, let's give you some time off so you can get your legs back. Let's not get involved in a highly active off-the-field game."

Fournette, a junior, is ranked No. 3 in ESPN's preseason Heisman Watch.