Darius Leonard on PUP

[JAFF]

Originally Posted by Hoopsdoc

I’m starting to get the feeling that this is gonna be an issue into the season.

You may be right

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...k/65410024007/

WESTFIELD — All-Pro Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard remains on the physically/unable to perform list, and he hasn’t practiced at all in training camp so far.

Leonard has been on the field for every practice, and he’s started throwing to the other linebackers in the drills.

But the Colts have not set a timetable yet for Leonard’s return from offseason back surgery, a procedure that was designed to relieve the pressure two discs in his spine were putting on his nerves, an injury that caused functionality problems in his left calf and ankle.

Indianapolis is expecting Leonard to take a little time to get back to full speed once he’s fully healthy.

“When he gets cleared, he’s not going to be 100%, and I think he is going to have to work his way back into it,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said. “This has happened to everybody, right? This happens to all the great ones.”


For example, Reich cited Peyton Manning’s performance after undergoing July surgery to remove a bursa sac from his left knee in 2008.

“He played the first four games, and he was a mere shell of what (he normally was), but we found ways to win (some of) those games, and he found ways to play winning football,” Reich said as Manning had a 79.2 passer rating over the first four games and 101.1 the rest of the season. “Until finally, around Week 5 or Week 6, he hit his stride.”


Because of the lingering back issue, Leonard already has experience playing at less than full strength.

Leonard’s left ankle gave him trouble throughout the 2021 season, robbing him of his signature explosiveness, but he still found a way to play 91.8% of the snaps and make 122 tackles, eight forced fumbles, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

From the sounds of it, Leonard may need to draw on that experience again when he returns to the lineup.


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“He is going to have to figure out how to play feeling the way he feels,” Reich said. “Not feeling 100%, feeling like maybe this isn’t quite all the way back, but I’ve still got to figure out how to play winning football.”

[apballin]

He’ll be in there

Don’t doubt the maniac

[TheMugwump]

Originally Posted by apballin

He’ll be in there

Don’t doubt the maniac

Exactly.

Plus, he's not a quarterback. He plays a position that requires toughness...

[CanuckColt]

Originally Posted by smitty46953

Darius Leonard now wants to be called Shaquille Leonard his middle name.

https://www.nfl.com/news/colts-lb-da...uille-going-fo

I cannot get used to "Shaquille"...he will always be "Darius" to me.

[JAFF]

Originally Posted by CanuckColt

I cannot get used to "Shaquille"...he will always be "Darius" to me.

Thats how I feel about Hootie

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by CanuckColt

I cannot get used to "Shaquille"...he will always be "Darius" to me.

o


I call Earvin Johnson "Earvin Johnson" ...... he hasn't played basketball in 26 years, so I don't see any reason why a 63 year-old man needs to be called by a cheesy nickname that was given to him when he was a sophomore in high school.

o

[apballin]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o


I call Earvin Johnson "Earvin Johnson" ...... he hasn't played basketball in 26 years, so I don't see any reason why a 63 year-old man needs to be called by a cheesy nickname that was given to him when he was a sophomore in high school.

o

Maybe if I knew them personally but I know the guy on the football field is Maniac

I’ll call him maniac

I sure don’t call Terry Bollea anything other than his cheesy nickname

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by apballin

Maybe if I knew them personally but I know the guy on the football field is Maniac

I’ll call him maniac

I sure don’t call Terry Bollea anything other than his cheesy nickname.

o


Oh, I'm fine with cheesy nicknames for players while they are active in their sports careers.

I'm fine with calling Darius Leonard "Maniac" while he's playing in the NFL, as I was fine with calling George Gervin "Iceman" when he played for the San Anotonio Spurs ...... I just won't be calling them those names 30 or 40 years after they retire.

o

[ChaosTheory]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o


I call Earvin Johnson "Earvin Johnson" ...... he hasn't played basketball in 26 years, so I don't see any reason why a 63 year-old man needs to be called by a cheesy nickname that was given to him when he was a sophomore in high school.

o

I don't know, he was always publicly known as Magic Johnson. TY Hilton's name is Eugene Marquis, but I'm sure he'll always go by TY.

I know this isn't exactly the same... but in a way, Leonard is kind of going the route of Cassius Clay and Lew Alcindor in that they changed their names after becoming world-famous, household names. Clay was a world champion before he was Muhammad Ali, Alcindor was an NBA champion and MVP before he was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It was before my time, but I've read/heard people say they had a hard time (if ever) coming around to those name changes.

By the way, I personally think Lew Alcindor and especially Cassius Clay are two of the coolest names in sports history.

[Racehorse]

I see nothing wrong with calling them the name everyone called them when they played. After all, they are still referred to by those names nearly everywhere they are mentioned.