Shaq Leonard ‘hurt’ by the way Colts ‘pushed me out the door’

His locker has been cleaned out. His nameplate has been removed. His team captain’s portrait has been taken down.

The Maniac, at least in Indianapolis, is no more.

The Indianapolis Colts waived linebacker Shaq Leonard on Tuesday, parting ways with one of the most dominant defenders in franchise history.

But if you know where to look, you can still find glimmers of his greatness. Reminders of his All-Pro prowess. Moments that are etched in time by an athlete who challenged everyone and everything around him while also challenging himself — even to a fault.

The day after the Colts cut Leonard, as his teammates practiced at West 56th Street to prepare for their home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, a highlight video of the teams’ 2019 matchup was playing on a large television in the hallway of the team facility. Ironically, it starred Leonard, who snagged two interceptions in that game, including an 82-yard pick six.

Leonard was at the peak of his powers back then, in the middle of four straight All-Pro selections and on a Hall of Fame trajectory. When he reached the end zone after scoring the only TD of his career, Leonard dropped to his knees to catch his breath while his teammates gathered around him to cheer.

Less than four years later, Leonard again found himself on his knees, this time after badly whiffing on an attempt to bring down New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott during the Colts’ win in Frankfurt, Germany. After the game, Leonard didn’t speak to the media, a trend he adopted only as his role within the franchise diminished.
Nine days later, he was out of a job.
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INDIANAPOLIS — His locker has been cleaned out. His nameplate has been removed. His team captain’s portrait has been taken down.

The Maniac, at least in Indianapolis, is no more.

The Indianapolis Colts waived linebacker Shaq Leonard on Tuesday, parting ways with one of the most dominant defenders in franchise history.

But if you know where to look, you can still find glimmers of his greatness. Reminders of his All-Pro prowess. Moments that are etched in time by an athlete who challenged everyone and everything around him while also challenging himself — even to a fault.

The day after the Colts cut Leonard, as his teammates practiced at West 56th Street to prepare for their home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, a highlight video of the teams’ 2019 matchup was playing on a large television in the hallway of the team facility. Ironically, it starred Leonard, who snagged two interceptions in that game, including an 82-yard pick six.

Leonard was at the peak of his powers back then, in the middle of four straight All-Pro selections and on a Hall of Fame trajectory. When he reached the end zone after scoring the only TD of his career, Leonard dropped to his knees to catch his breath while his teammates gathered around him to cheer.

Less than four years later, Leonard again found himself on his knees, this time after badly whiffing on an attempt to bring down New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott during the Colts’ win in Frankfurt, Germany. After the game, Leonard didn’t speak to the media, a trend he adopted only as his role within the franchise diminished.

Nine days later, he was out of a job.