Shaq Leonard on Reduced Playing Time: Colts 'Say I Don't Make Enough Splash Plays'

Three-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard is not satisfied with his dwindling number of snaps for the Indianapolis Colts.

"I just feel like each week, I prove who I am," Leonard said. "I feel like the way I play the game is getting better and better each week. But they say I don't make enough splash plays, so I guess I'll still be watching for a little bit."

Leonard has played 72 percent of the Colts' defensive snaps in seven games so far this season. During his four Pro Bowl seasons between 2018 and 2019, he averaged participation in 93 percent snaps or above, per the Indianapolis Star's Nate Atkins.

The linebacker, who missed the majority of the last two seasons, underwent his second back surgery in five months last November. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley previously said the Colts' goal was to get Leonard back to full participation "sometime in November," per Atkins.

Leonard has recorded 46 combined tackles and two tackles for loss in seven starts this season.

When asked if the time had come for him to play more, Leonard answered, "Me personally, I think so."

"I don't think they think that," Leonard added. "I'm just going to go out and play as many plays as I can play, and then just go from there."

Leonard also said the Colts tell him how much he will play prior to each game.

"They'll tell me if I'm gonna split reps with [linebacker E.J. Speed] on first and second. I know I'm not in on third down, so I kind of know exactly what it is," Leonard said. "Like it or not, it is what it is."

Leonard returned as early as Week 4 of last season after undergoing a procedure on his back in June 2022. He later said he "shouldn't have been out there," per the Star's Joel A. Erickson.

"Shouldn't have been playing, should have just rested... I was making it worse," Leonard said in January, per Erickson.

"When you're dealing with nerves, from what I've learned, you need to take the proper time... I wanted to go out there and compete, but I didn't know I was making it worse by continuing to do the things that I was doing."

Bradley said in early October that easing Leonard back into playing entire games was part of making sure that didn't happen again, per Atkins.

"Obviously, he wants to play every play, all the time," Bradley said last month. "When we sat down and looked at it, we just felt like we're going to have a plan in mind and follow that plan. There may be more, there may be less reps, but it's based on how we're going to bring him back."

From Leonard's comments, it doesn't sound like the Colts plan to change that Sunday when they face the Carolina Panthers.