Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette said Tuesday he received a call from Tom Brady ahead of his visit with the New England Patriots while he was a free agent in the offseason.

Fournette said he got a call from Brady in March, right around the time the seven-time Super Bowl champion decided to play the 2022 season and not retire after all.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Tom Brady and Leonard Fournette

Tom Brady hands the ball off to Leonard Fournette of the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 12, 2021, in Tampa, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

"Man, what your a-- doing up there?" Fournette said Brady told him.

It appeared to be enough for Fournette to come back to the Buccaneers. He signed a three-year deal with Tampa Bay in the offseason and will be back with Brady again.

Fournette said he sort of knew Brady wasn’t going to stay away from the NFL for too long.

JIMMY GAROPPOLO EXCUSED FROM 49ERS MANDATORY MINICAMP, DEEBO SAMUEL ATTENDS: REPORTS

Leonard Fournette hugs Tom Brady

Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates with Leonard Fournette after a first down against the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 20, 2020, in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

"I kind of knew. I told him probably two days after the game – I’m like, ‘[Tom], we can’t go out like that.’ He agreed with me. We left too many mistakes on the field that kind of messed us up. We were playing catch-up the whole game. I think as a champion, I knew he wouldn’t want to go out like that for his legacy," he said.

Fournette added he still sees the passion on the field from Brady, who is set to turn 45 before the 2022 season officially kicks off.

"He hasn’t lost a step. He is who he is. I’ll go somewhere on a plane traveling and somebody will say something like, ‘I don’t like that guy, Tom Brady.’ I’m like, ‘You don’t know him. You don’t like him because he is a winner? Personally, you don’t know him,’" Fournette said. "Me being alongside him these three years – I wouldn’t want any other guy back there with us. He deserves everything he’s got that’s coming to him. I’m just proud of him."

Leonard Fournette takes a handoff

Tom Brady hands the ball off to Leonard Fournette during the NFC Divisional game against the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 23, 2022, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In 14 games last season, Fournette had 812 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.