Much of the 2022 season followed a similar order of operations regarding Shaquille Leonard.
It began with checking the Colts' injury report, and it often ended in Leonard's absence. Leonard attempted to play through a back issue related to offseason surgery, and after missing the first three games of 2022, he suffered a concussion and broken nose in his first game back, sidelining him further. Leonard eventually landed on injured reserve, opting to undergo another surgery after playing in just three games in a highly disappointing campaign, both personally and as a team.
"I see myself on the tape in practice and I look slow. In the game, I look slow," the linebacker said Wednesday, via the Indianapolis Star. "A lot of people thought I was being selfish shutting it down, but one thing I think I did selfishly last year was to go out there and try to play. I felt like I hurt the team last year whenever I was on the field."
Given ample time to recover, Leonard is in a much more preferable place now, telling reporters he feels "a whole lot better" than he did at any point last season. It's positive news for Indianapolis, a team that missed his All-Pro caliber production in a defense that was effective, but not as much as it could have been with a fully healthy Leonard in the fold.
It's also good for Leonard's psyche, which has certainly taken a beating in the last year.
"There's been so many times where I'm thinking, 'Will I ever be back to 53?'" Leonard said. "Will I ever be back to the Maniac?"
Leonard admitted his health issues were incredibly frustrating, but he's glad to be in a better place now. With all that he's endured since the end of the 2021 season, Leonard won't take his health for granted.
"If you work with a bunch of guys and you see them doing all the work, do you think it's cool to be standing on the sidelines while they're working?" Leonard said. "It sucks not being out there with them competing day-in and day-out. It's somewhat embarrassing."
Embarrassment will hopefully be a thing of the past for Leonard, who said Wednesday he's "feeling way more confident" as he trains in preparation for the 2023 season. If the Colts played tomorrow, it's not safe to say Leonard would be out there. But he's getting closer to returning at full strength with each passing day.
"I'm feeling a whole lot better than I did at any point of the year last year. Moving around a whole lot better," Leonard said. "Got more power. Still not where I want to be, still taking it one day at a time, one step at a time and just maintaining the focus. Just trying to get one percent better each day."
