On Wednesday, the Indianapolis Colts announced that former NFL All-Pro linebacker Shaquille ‘Darius’ Leonard will retire as a member of the franchise during halftime of this Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders:
Originally a 2018 2nd round pick of the Colts out of South Carolina State, the 6,’2”, 230 pound linebacker immediately became one of the best players at his position—earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, and becoming
an NFL All-Pro in each of his first four seasons with the Colts.
He also was a 3x NFL Pro Bowler from 2019-21.
Nicknamed ‘The Maniac’ for his instinctive, sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability, and ability to generate mass turnovers, Leonard recorded 614 total tackles (385 solo), 32 tackles for loss, 15 interceptions (*1 returned for a touchdown), 15.0 sacks, 31 passes defensed, and whopping 17 forced fumbles, 31 passes defensed, and 7 fumble recoveries during 70 career games (68 starts) from 2018-2023 in Indianapolis.
Leonard earned a lucrative 5-year, $98.5 million contract extension back in 2021 with the Colts.
However, after undergoing multiple back surgeries to correct a persistent nerve issue in June of 2022 and a second in November of 2022, unfortunately, Leonard never quite regained his prior NFL All-Pro form. He also suffered other injuries such as a concussion and broken nose that hindered his playing ability.
During the 2023 season, and at 28-years-old, Leonard was eventually relegated to a limited role and was eventually waived by the Colts in November of that same year. He later signed with the Philadelphia Eagles late in that campaign, which would ultimately be his final NFL season, appearing in 5 games and making 3 starts.
However, similar to the Colts’ Bob Sanders, while his playing career here was much more short-lived than we all ideally would’ve hoped for, boy, did Leonard’s peak burn bright here. He was one of the truly elite players at his position, and when you look at some of the shortcomings of the more recent Colts teams, losing a would-be future Hall of Fame linebacker in his prime has contributed to setting back the franchise.
The Colts haven’t quite been able to consistently replace his playmaking at the 2nd-level and ability to make takeaways defensively, especially in critical moments late in games.
Retiring as a member of the Colts is no doubt well deserved this upcoming weekend, and Leonard remains a strong candidate to eventually join the franchise’s illustrious Ring of Honor in my honest opinion.
