INDIANAPOLIS — When Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard woke up Monday morning, he was overjoyed.He just didn’t need any additional medical treatments or trainers or doctors to examine his bruised body or experience a trip back to the injury report. Instead, what the postgame wake-up call proved to the three-time All-Pro was that he could finally play football his way — again.
The surgery kept Leonard out until Week 4 last season and then less than two quarters into his season debut,left Leonard with a broken nose and in the concussion protocol. He missed three more games before returning in late October and two games later, his season was over. “It’s just like I told him, it’s like riding a bike,” Franklin said Wednesday. “When I go into every year, a preseason game, I’m nervous about tackling. I’m just trying to make sure it still works. So I know how that feels and when he got that first one on the first play, I’m like ‘Yeah, it’s on.’”