Shaq Leonard Honored by Colts, Jonathan Taylor Salutes Retired LB With TD Celebration

Shaquille Leonard’s NFL career officially came to an end on Sunday.

The three-time All-Pro linebacker was formally honored by the Indianapolis Colts at halftime of their game against the Las Vegas Raiders after he signed a one-day contract with the club.

It was announced on Wednesday that Leonard was going to retire with the club that originally drafted him in 2018.

Before the halftime ceremony, Leonard gave a press conference with his family in attendance to address his career and decision to walk away from the NFL.

During his ceremony at halftime, Leonard spoke to the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium and thanked them for their support throughout his career.

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor honored his former teammate by doing his celebratory dance after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter against the Raiders.

Leonard, 30, emerged as one of the NFL’s best linebackers in his first four seasons after being a second-round pick by the Colts in 2018, registering four straight seasons with 120 or more tackles.

During that span he was a three-time first-team All-Pro, a three-time Pro Bowler and the 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year.

But injuries completely altered the trajectory of his career. He underwent back surgery following the 2022 season to fix a recurring issue, but further injuries to his back—along with a concussion and broken nose—limited him to just three games in the 2022 season.

And when he returned in 2023, it appeared he had lost a step, to the point that the Colts lessened his playing time and eventually released him in November.

He went on to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles but didn’t make much more of an impact in his new home, putting up 23 tackles (two for loss) and a sack in five games (three starts).

Even though Leonard’s career ended much sooner than anyone would have predicted, he made his impact felt in the time that he had in the NFL. His first four seasons stack up with any inside linebacker of this generation, including Fred Warner and Roquan Smith.

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