‘You hurt for 2, 3 days then start the process over’: Colts LB Darius Leonard playing through injury – IndyStar
INDIANAPOLIS — Colts linebacker Darius Leonard returned to practice in full for the first time all season Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean the ankle injury he’s dealing with is healed.
The pain in his ankle is the most intense right after a game, as the effects of 50-plus plays fighting against offensive linemen and chasing receivers and running backs starts to set in. Leonard said he’s playing at about 90-95% health, and the process to get to that point begins immediately after he leaves the field. Leonard (ankle) did not practice Thursday.
“You’ve got to practice but you got to make sure that you understand that you got to recover just as well,” Leonard said. “Getting in the hyperbaric chamber trying to heal with that process, getting a lot of massages, cold tub, hot tub.
“It’s tough after the game but you got to understand, that’s what it’s supposed to be. You get through the week, then you leave it all out on the field, then you hurt for about two or three days, then you understand you start the whole process over.”
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A player with a constant chip on his shoulder, small-school star Leonard is not one to make excuses about his play due to injuries. The fiery team captain has played 100% of the defense snaps during the first two weeks of the season. No one will second guess the toughness of a man affectionately known as “The Maniac” but it may be worth questioning if a hampered Leonard is a liability to the Colts defense.
Through two games Leonard ranks fifth on the Colts with 12 tackles. Through two games last season Leonard had 16 tackles. At his current rate, even with the benefit of an extra game, Leonard would finish the season with a career low 93.5 tackles.
Even with one healthy leg, Leonard flashed explosion in the fourth quarter against the Rams, chasing down Rams receiver Cooper Kupp on an end around for a five-yard loss, forcing a Matt Gay field goal. After struggling early, Leonard forced a fumble in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, but with no sacks and no interceptions, Leonard is not making the number of splash plays the Colts defense is accustomed to.
Leonard said he still feels twinges of pain in the ankle throughout the game. Against a run-first team like the Tennessee Titans he’ll need to trust that his ankle will hold up to collisions with 240-pound running back Derrick Henry. Henry’s improved pass-catching ability may force Leonard to test his ankle in coverage as well. Possible matchups against explosive wide receivers A.J. Brown and Julio Jones will also provide glimpses into just how stable Leonard’s ankle is.
“I mean it bites at times on certain movements, but you fight through the pain and find a way to get the job done,” Leonard said. “That’s what I’ve been taught my whole life. You don’t make excuses, you find solutions and just go out and play.
“I’m so dedicated to the game. You love the game so much and you want to be out there and make sure you do enough to help this team win and make sure you make enough plays to get the defense off the field.”
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Akeem Glaspie on Twitter at @THEAkeemGlaspie.