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Following offseason back surgery, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard feels pain free for the first time since his early rookie season back in 2018 (via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer):
Asked Colts LB Shaq Leonard how long he's been playing through pain in the ankle, and his answer was very specific: "Week 4 of my rookie season, I rolled my left ankle..."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) September 1, 2022
So, he's now pain-free for the first time in almost four years...
With prior lingering ankle pain, Leonard’s offseason back surgery is supposed to correct those chronic symptoms, as well as his back’s nerve issue.
Back surgery is never a minor deal (let along for an NFL linebacker), so Colts fans will have to continue monitoring Leonard’s status as the regular season opener rapidly approaches.
The early signs are at least encouraging, as Leonard was recently removed from the PUP list, is currently practicing, and has a realistic chance to debut within the first four weeks of the 2022 campaign—if there are no setbacks.
It’s a positive sign for Leonard that he’s pain free for the first time since his early rookie season and if fully healthy, the 4x NFL All-Pro could quite possibly have his best season yet.
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