Indianapolis Colts’ Shaquille Leonard says he’s on track for first pain-free season since rookie year

Indianapolis – 2022 season could be the first to wear a healthy left ankle for a Colts All Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard.

Leonard, who this week practiced for the first time since last season, said that recent surgery to resolve a nerve problem that was causing pain in his lower body made him pain-free for the first time since the 2018 junior season.

After Colts General Manager Chris Ballard said on Wednesday that Leonard had been feeling uncomfortable since 2019, Leonard corrected the record on Thursday.

“They said 19? I’d say 18,” said Leonard. “If I think about 2018, Week 4 against Houston, I rolled my ankle and sat in Week 5 against the Patriots and back against the Jets, and I noticed I’ve scored since then. So, it’s been a minute since I’ve felt the way I feel now. It feels good. But it’s still practical. Not saying I’m ready to go now. I’m still trying to figure things out. But I’m feeling better. So that’s the main thing.”

Leonard underwent ankle surgery before the 2021 season but has been in severe pain all season. He even went so far as to begin sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber in an effortless effort to treat the injury. Leonard’s agility and speed were clearly affected, even though he was still voted into the All-Pro first team for the third time and led the NFL with eight compulsory holdings. The 2021 surgery cured some of his ankle problems, but the nerve problem continued to cause him pain and wasn’t diagnosed until this summer.

In the process, Leonard learned to play painfully.

“Pain is temporary, pride is forever,” he said. “If I can go, I’ll go. That’s my mentality. I just feel that even though I’m injured, if I wasn’t there it hurt the team, I think I’d be there.”

But as he continues to recover from his recent surgery and Leonard remains on the sidelines, he has struggled to cope.

“Football is my happy place,” he said. “Football is my safe haven. It’s something I love to do. I love to compete.”

Leonard will not commit to playing the September 11 season opener against the Houston Texans. But whenever he came back, the thought of being healthy for the first time in years was baffling.

“I just feel like Shaquille can be healthy for a season and able to plant and cut like I was before,” he said, “I just feel like I’m going to fly around better and do some other plays, just to be a little more fragile than my breaks and being in it.” [throwing] more windows. “