Colts’ Frank Reich Reveals How Shaquille Leonard’s Could Return in Week 1

Getty Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard has practiced over the last week for the first time since undergoing back surgery.

Head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts mostly held the team’s plans for linebacker Shaquille Leonard to return to game action close to his chest when speaking to the media on September 7. But Reich did reveal one way in which the linebacker could play in Week 1.

“Sometimes you get these guys who are superstar players – I shouldn’t use that word, but players like Shaq,” Reich said. “You say, hey, we never do this, but we might do it for him. I typically would think that I would need more than three practices, but I don’t know.

“Could he practice three practices in a row and play 15 plays in the game? Maybe.”

Leonard made his return to the practice field on August 31. The Colts removed the linebacker from the PUP list the day prior during all the team’s post-preseason roster cuts.

On June 7, Leonard underwent back surgery to repair a nerve that was causing pain in his left calf and ankle since the beginning of last season. He began training camp on the PUP list on July 24.

He’s participated in every Colts practice since returning from the PUP list on August 31. The only question is whether that will be enough time for Leonard to play in any capacity against the Houston Texans in Week 1 on September 11.

Leonard Still Aiming to Play in Week 1

It’s possible that Reich is deploying a little gamesmanship by not declaring Leonard out until later in the week. However, the Colts coach has sounded genuine when discussing the linebacker’s chances of playing in Week 1.

And why wouldn’t Reich give Leonard every possible chance of playing? After all, he’s a 3-time first-team All-Pro linebacker.

“I mean, I really don’t want to back myself into a corner because it’s Shaq (Shaquille Leonard),” said Reich.

“He just needs more action to gauge exactly what it’s going to feel like. He’s been cleared, so he can do everything he needs to do but like we said, he’s far from 100 percent.”

Leonard said he was far from 100% last season too. He underwent ankle surgery in July 2021 and didn’t return to training camp until early August. Even so, Leonard played through pain in 2021, yet he still made first-team All Pro and led the NFL with 8 forced fumbles.

Clearly, even at less than 100%, Leonard can be one of the best players on the field.

But that’s not really the question. Figuring out what percentage is acceptable for Leonard to play at in Week 1 is what the Colts are trying to determine in practice this week.

“He can play at 80 percent and that’s kind of a number I have in my mind; you know what I mean? I don’t know if my 80 percent equals what his 80 percent is,” Reich said. “That was something that Marv Levy used to – just talking with Coach Levy, you get to 80 percent, you’re good, you can play, you can figure it out and figure out how to play winning football.

“We just have to talk through and see what that looks like.”

Leonard to be on a Pitch Count?

September 7 was the first day Reich mentioned a specific snap count number Leonard might play in Week 1. But Reich has previously talked in general about the 3-time All-Pro playing on a “pitch count.”

“Like, in my mind I’m saying, ‘Well, there’s probably a natural progression to a pitch count,’ but I’m not saying that that’s what it has got to be,” Reich said. “It seems to me – like no doctor has said that to me, but it feels to me like that might be the right thing to do. But I just think we just have to see how he progresses.”

A pitch count might be a bit difficult for Leonard since he almost never comes off the field. Last season, he played 98% of the team’s defensive snaps in the 16 games where he dressed. Leonard has been on the field for 98% of Indianapolis’ defensive snaps (counting the games where he played) in three of his four NFL seasons.

Indianapolis opens the 2022 season with two division rivals. After playing the Texans, the Colts will visit the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2.