Darius Leonard “Fell out of love with the game”

[Hoose]

14 hours ago, EastStreet said:

For falling out of love, he was a turnover machine, and still seemed like the life of our D, much more than our DL or DBs. 

 

I heard rumblings he was also big time turned off about pressures around vaxing and some of the words from ownership. That's really not too much of a leap given what we saw and heard last year. 

 

Hoping he's 100% this season and falls back in love. Without his turnovers last season, our D would have been pathetic. We already were bad in sacks and gave up the most or second most passing TDs. We need those areas to improve obviously, but need him being a terror on the 2nd level. 

 

Love ya Maniac. Hope you find that love. 

We’ll said. He’s the heart and soul of the D and the Colts need their Maniac focused and energized. Here’s to a better year in ‘22.

[NFLfan]

 

On 5/4/2022 at 6:59 PM, Introspect said:

Like he stated... He wasn't at 100% and a lot of personal situations that wore on him mentally.  He is the leader, smiling, asking how everyone else is doing but he really wanted a person to say "Hey man, How's things?" Even the strongest man wants to have a ear to vent to.

 

I love the guy's honesty and introspection dealing with the past year. 

Glad he is a COLT!

 

 Well said. I wish others appreciated honesty. 

[NFLfan]

12 hours ago, Introspect said:

Contrary to popular opinion every human has ups and downs.... Don't knock anyone that is honest about what they are dealing with. Worry about the guy that always claims he is "OK".

 

People being honest and truthful is what's needed more than ever. Not something that should be ridiculed.

 

Exactly.

[Moosejawcolt]

22 hours ago, 1959Colts said:

The way the Colts 2021 season ended... I think a lot of us fell out of love for the game.

I would argue that a lot of  Colt players fell out of the love of the game after they lost to Vegas. That may explain the implosion lol??

[Nickster]

On 5/6/2022 at 8:25 PM, CurBeatElite said:

I don't see him talking openly as a red flag. The guy shows up and does his job just fine, at an all-pro level when most people wouldn't even be on the field due to major injury. 

 

Irsay and the Colts are big into the 'kicking the stigma' campaign about mental health and promoting people being able to talk about it openly. Darius has his own foundation which also promotes mental health awareness and resources. 

 

I think part of him talking about this stuff is him being a role model and advocate for something he believes in, like he says on the NFL mental health promos 'it's OK to not be OK.'  In a lot of ways, he's showing people that if an NFL player (a 4x all-pro no less) can openly discuss his mental health problems, then a 'normal' person probably can, too.

The red flag to me is that it’s unusual for a guy to question wanting to play.  Derrick Rose did it and seemed uncommitted after that.

 

Castanzo was older but quit with good year of money on a recently signed contract. 
 

im not talking about his commitment on the field.  He plays his guts out.  
 

i wonder how much longer he’s going to want to put himself through the rigors of the NFL.  He sounds a lot like what Luck must have been thinking is what I’m saying.

[CurBeatElite]

22 hours ago, Hoose said:

Actually, Luck has an architectural degree if I’m not mistaken. But your point is well taken in that Leonard will likely never get a large paycheck doing anything else. Yet money, however nice to have, does not beget happiness. 
And Leonard is signaling that he’s not happy. So lets hope, for the sake of the Colts, that he rediscovers his passion and zest for the game. He’s an indispensable part of this team when mentally and physically healthy. 

Sorry, I thought it was architectural engineering.. it is 'architectural design' which is housed in Stanford's School of Engineering (he has an engineering degree).

 

Leonard, now that he's been in the league a few years, could very likely do well after his career, either coaching/announcing/ wise investing/ etc... but I get a sense from him that football is very much his life.. whereas, Andrew was very clearly a nerd with a lot of talents/hobbies/etc which were completely unrelated to football and could also be quite lucrative. 

 

I just tend to doubt DL would pack it up the way Andrew did, although if it got to a point where one of these injuries makes it so the rest of his life will be miserable if he keeps playing with it, then I wouldn't be shocked.

[Nickster]

21 hours ago, EastStreet said:

For falling out of love, he was a turnover machine, and still seemed like the life of our D, much more than our DL or DBs. 

 

I heard rumblings he was also big time turned off about pressures around vaxing and some of the words from ownership. That's really not too much of a leap given what we saw and heard last year. 

 

Hoping he's 100% this season and falls back in love. Without his turnovers last season, our D would have been pathetic. We already were bad in sacks and gave up the most or second most passing TDs. We need those areas to improve obviously, but need him being a terror on the 2nd level. 

 

Love ya Maniac. Hope you find that love. 

Not all players love the game and don’t necessarily need to.  20 years ago  a girl I dated lived in the same apartment complex as a fairly prominent Colts player and hung out with him a couple times and said he didn’t love football, he Was just good at it and made a alot doing it. 
 

DL doesn’t seem to be cut from that cloth and neither did AL.  Both were very emotional guys.  A red flag isn’t a definite problem the way I see it.  Just a warning.

[EastStreet]

13 minutes ago, Nickster said:

Not all players love the game and don’t necessarily need to.  20 years ago  a girl I dated lived in the same apartment complex as a fairly prominent Colts player and hung out with him a couple times and said he didn’t love football, he Was just good at it and made a alot doing it. 
 

DL doesn’t seem to be cut from that cloth and neither did AL.  Both were very emotional guys.  A red flag isn’t a definite problem the way I see it.  Just a warning.

 

While I agree that love for the game is not always required, I think it's fair to say it helps lol. 

I'd also think it's fair to say that players that play with emotion, like DL, might require love/passion to fuel him. 

 

AL and DL are two very different dudes. AL grew up with a silver spoon, and never needed football. DL grew up much differently, and his path in college was also extremely different. I'd recommend watching the vid of where DL talks about how he spent his first year's money lol. 

 

I grew up with a guy who was insanely talented at FB. Not BFFs or anything, but we hung plenty. All State, and dominating at DB and RB as an underclassmen in HS. Could have easily continued on, and went to a big time D1 school IMO. But he just had no interest / love for the game. Quit FB altogether. Will never understand it lol. 

[Nickster]

25 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

 

While I agree that love for the game is not always required, I think it's fair to say it helps lol. 

I'd also think it's fair to say that players that play with emotion, like DL, might require love/passion to fuel him. 

 

AL and DL are two very different dudes. AL grew up with a silver spoon, and never needed football. DL grew up much differently, and his path in college was also extremely different. I'd recommend watching the vid of where DL talks about how he spent his first year's money lol. 

 

I grew up with a guy who was insanely talented at FB. Not BFFs or anything, but we hung plenty. All State, and dominating at DB and RB as an underclassmen in HS. Could have easily continued on, and went to a big time D1 school IMO. But he just had no interest / love for the game. Quit FB altogether. Will never understand it lol. 

One of my very best friends, was an IU full scholarship OT.  This was during the best years Of Mallory football. He had visits and offers to Mich and Mich State.  He got burned out, and literally left the dorm and team in the middle of the night his sophomore year.  He just didn’t want to do the eating, lifting, grinding anymore.  He felt football brainwashed him and just wanted to be a regular kid really.  He wanted to hang out with the rest of us.

 

obviously luck and Leonard have a lot of differences, but to me they played the game the same way.  Look Leonard is rich as hell now and even If he quit today he’s already set for life if he manages things.  He’s already cashed 30 million dollars worth of checks.  They really remind me a lot of each other as far as their emotion goes.  And I think life can and probably should get in the way of football. 

 

My friend was tired of the singular focus on the game and just didn’t want to play anymore.  I think I understand that about as well as anyone who hasn’t been through it spending lots of time talking to my buddy.  It’s a really hard life and a crazy unnatural thing to do really.

[Moosejawcolt]

23 minutes ago, Nickster said:

One of my very best friends, was an IU full scholarship OT.  This was during the best years Of Mallory football. He had visits and offers to Mich and Mich State.  He got burned out, and literally left the dorm and team in the middle of the night his sophomore year.  He just didn’t want to do the eating, lifting, grinding anymore.  He felt football brainwashed him and just wanted to be a regular kid really.  He wanted to hang out with the rest of us.

 

obviously luck and Leonard have a lot of differences, but to me they played the game the same way.  Look Leonard is rich as hell now and even If he quit today he’s already set for life if he manages things.  He’s already cashed 30 million dollars worth of checks.  They really remind me a lot of each other as far as their emotion goes.  And I think life can and probably should get in the way of football. 

 

My friend was tired of the singular focus on the game and just didn’t want to play anymore.  I think I understand that about as well as anyone who hasn’t been through it spending lots of time talking to my buddy.  It’s a really hard life and a crazy unnatural thing to do really.

I honestly would not put anything past DL. I have always found him emotionally fragile. Always seemed insecure and in need of attention.  If he walked  away one day, it wouldn't shock me.  He just always seems on edge and he could just simply burn out, emotionally.

[EastStreet]

16 minutes ago, Nickster said:

One of my very best friends, was an IU full scholarship OT.  This was during the best years Of Mallory football. He had visits and offers to Mich and Mich State.  He got burned out, and literally left the dorm and team in the middle of the night his sophomore year.  He just didn’t want to do the eating, lifting, grinding anymore.  He felt football brainwashed him and just wanted to be a regular kid really.  He wanted to hang out with the rest of us.

 

obviously luck and Leonard have a lot of differences, but to me they played the game the same way.  Look Leonard is rich as hell now and even If he quit today he’s already set for life if he manages things.  He’s already cashed 30 million dollars worth of checks.  They really remind me a lot of each other as far as their emotion goes.  And I think life can and probably should get in the way of football. 

 

My friend was tired of the singular focus on the game and just didn’t want to play anymore.  I think I understand that about as well as anyone who hasn’t been through it spending lots of time talking to my buddy.  It’s a really hard life and a crazy unnatural thing to do really.

I'm pretty sure my buddy quit because two of the coaches were *, and he wanted to hang as well. Still floors me though he walked away after early all-state awards. He had elite talent. I played, and felt the same about the environment, so I understand a bit. Just a shame to see that talent wasted. 

 

I disagree on DL and AL. Doesn't matter how much Leonard had now. They both travelled very different paths, and both are very different personality wise. And I never thought AL was full of fire in his belly, at least not near the level as DL. Luck's hobby is book club. Leonard was a poor country boy who likes trucks and tricked out 70s cars (IIRC, has 70s Monte Carlo, Cutlass, and Caprice lol)... One was a 5 star blue chip out of HS from a wealthy family. The other was not even rated coming out of HS, and a product of a struggling family. They are night and day to me. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, EastStreet said:

I'm pretty sure my buddy quit because two of the coaches were *, and he wanted to hang as well. Still floors me though he walked away after early all-state awards. He had elite talent. I played, and felt the same about the environment, so I understand a bit. Just a shame to see that talent wasted. 

 

I disagree on DL and AL. Doesn't matter how much Leonard had now. They both travelled very different paths, and both are very different personality wise. And I never thought AL was full of fire in his belly, at least not near the level as DL. Luck's hobby is book club. Leonard was a poor country boy who likes trucks and tricked out 70s cars (IIRC, has 70s Monte Carlo, Cutlass, and Caprice lol)... One was a 5 star blue chip out of HS from a wealthy family. The other was not even rated coming out of HS, and a product of a struggling family. They are night and day to me. 

Fantastic post.

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

I honestly would not put anything past DL. I have always found him emotionally fragile. Always seemed insecure and in need of attention.  If he walked  away one day, it wouldn't shock me.  He just always seems on edge and he could just simply burn out, emotionally.

Lol, that is a 1st as in pulling your Dr Phil out. Leonard is fine and he quoted he was in an interview with Joel A Erickson our local reporter here.

[AwesomeAustin]

I’m really not worried about the falling out of love with the game part of the story. Everyone has ups and downs with their careers. Typically it coincides with success. I literally hate my job right now with all the supply chain issues and the transition of my customer base to a different demographic. Not making as much money and I find younger customers extremely rude and entitled. They raise their voices at my employees, talk down to me and throw fits over every extra charge or inconvenience. I’m a millennial that hates his own generation lol. It will all work itself out and I will enjoy it again. If I was making the most money I ever have like I was precovid then I wouldn’t care.  Colts start winning DL will love the game again. Success and happiness typically go hand and hand. DL wears his heart on his sleeve and that’s common and completely ok. 
 

What I do find a bit worrisome is DL not watching film. I think he is a great LB but mostly bc he is a freakish athlete with a non stop motor. Father Time is undefeated so he will need to play smarter as the skills slowly diminish. He is also smaller and will most likely be dealing with injuries as he gets older. Will need to learn to play around that.  I’m sure he and the coaches are figuring it out. 

[Fluke_33]

13 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

I honestly would not put anything past DL. I have always found him emotionally fragile. Always seemed insecure and in need of attention.  If he walked  away one day, it wouldn't shock me.  He just always seems on edge and he could just simply burn out, emotionally.

I think you’re right that he is insecure but I think that is his driving force.  He wants to be known as the greatest lb in the game.  I have no doubt of that.   This guy isn’t quitting before they force him out. 

[Fluke_33]

13 hours ago, EastStreet said:

 

I disagree on DL and AL. Doesn't matter how much Leonard had now. They both travelled very different paths, and both are very different personality wise. And I never thought AL was full of fire in his belly, at least not near the level as DL. Luck's hobby is book club. Leonard was a poor country boy who likes trucks and tricked out 70s cars (IIRC, has 70s Monte Carlo, Cutlass, and Caprice lol)... One was a 5 star blue chip out of HS from a wealthy family. The other was not even rated coming out of HS, and a product of a struggling family. They are night and day to me. 

on the field they are both warriors.  Al was a tough as any qb I’ve seen when he played.  Off the field I wouldn’t say he wasn’t tough but he didn’t need it to prove anything.  DL is driven to prove he is the best.  

[PRnum1]

I think much of next season will depend on his ankle. If it heals a 100% he could have a good season.

 

If there is another "cleaning procedure" then it's unlikely his ankle will be healthy and he will play in pain again.

 

I remember watching interviews with Luck and he said one of the biggest reason he walked away was he was tired of being in pain all the time.

 

It appears that DL could follow the same path

[2006Coltsbestever]

23 minutes ago, PRnum1 said:

I think much of next season will depend on his ankle. If it heals a 100% he could have a good season.

 

If there is another "cleaning procedure" then it's unlikely his ankle will be healthy and he will play in pain again.

 

I remember watching interviews with Luck and he said one of the biggest reason he walked away was he was tired of being in pain all the time.

 

It appears that DL could follow the same path

He will be fine, don't worry about it 

[jvan1973]

14 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

I honestly would not put anything past DL. I have always found him emotionally fragile. Always seemed insecure and in need of attention.  If he walked  away one day, it wouldn't shock me.  He just always seems on edge and he could just simply burn out, emotionally.

Based on ??

 

Such nonsense

[Moosejawcolt]

53 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:

Based on ??

 

Such nonsense

His constant twittering. Me against the world. Always needing to prove people wrong. I was listening to a podcast cast and I believe it was Mike chappel. He had no idea what DL was talking about when saying media kind of maligned him.

[2006Coltsbestever]

9 minutes ago, Moosejawcolt said:

His constant twittering. Me against the world. Always needing to prove people wrong. I was listening to a podcast cast and I believe it was Mike chappel. He had no idea what DL was talking about when saying media kind of maligned him.

The majority of the media said he was the worst the pick in the draft. Little did they know - maniac 2022 = 

[Moosejawcolt]

44 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

The majority of the media said he was the worst the pick in the draft. Little did they know - maniac 2022 = 

I think it is more his issue with  the local media.

[GoColts8818]

Leonard has been very involved in the Colts mental health campaign since it started.  I think he saw an opportunity to continue to share what he deals with more than this is anything people should be really worried about.  I think we would be shocked to see how many guys “fall out of love with the game” at some point in their career.  Very few end up walking away from it though.   Leonard doesn’t sound like someone who is even thinking about quitting.  He sounds like someone who had a frustrating season last year both on and off the field but in the same article he makes it pretty clear he thinks that’s behind him and he’s excited for this year.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

38 minutes ago, Moosejawcolt said:

I think it is more his issue with  the local media.

He told Joel A Erickson he is fine and will be ready for 2022 

[2006Coltsbestever]

34 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Leonard has been very involved in the Colts mental health campaign since it started.  I think he saw an opportunity to continue to share what he deals with more than this is anything people should be really worried about.  I think we would be shocked to see how many guys “fall out of love with the game” at some point in their career.  Very few end up walking away from it though.   Leonard doesn’t sound like someone who is even thinking about quitting.  He sounds like someone who had a frustrating season last year both on and off the field but in the same article he makes it pretty clear he thinks that’s behind him and he’s excited for this year.  

From what I am gathering from guys like Kevin Bowen, JMV, Joel Erickson - he is frustrated with the way the season ended. Losing with not enough help. He now loves our additions on D and Matt Ryan being here. 

[EastStreet]

5 hours ago, Fluke_33 said:

on the field they are both warriors.  Al was a tough as any qb I’ve seen when he played.  Off the field I wouldn’t say he wasn’t tough but he didn’t need it to prove anything.  DL is driven to prove he is the best.  

Yup, key thing to me is that DL has been trying to prove himself since HS. Couldn't get a big time offer from a college. And was fringe pick that many didn't like in the draft. And the whole family situation adds another thick layer. 

[jvan1973]

6 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

His constant twittering. Me against the world. Always needing to prove people wrong. I was listening to a podcast cast and I believe it was Mike chappel. He had no idea what DL was talking about when saying media kind of maligned him.

You hate being wrong about DL and can't come to terms with it.   Just admit you're wrong and move on

[Moosejawcolt]

57 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:

You hate being wrong about DL and can't come to terms with it.   Just admit you're wrong and move on

I'm wrong.

[Patrick Miller]

Who would be Leonards back up? With his ankle still not 100% and perhaps never will be ….we should have somebody waiting in the wings and/or being groomed.

[Moosejawcolt]

On 5/7/2022 at 9:02 PM, Nickster said:

Not all players love the game and don’t necessarily need to.  20 years ago  a girl I dated lived in the same apartment complex as a fairly prominent Colts player and hung out with him a couple times and said he didn’t love football, he Was just good at it and made a alot doing it. 
 

DL doesn’t seem to be cut from that cloth and neither did AL.  Both were very emotional guys.  A red flag isn’t a definite problem the way I see it.  Just a warning.

I think it was Parcells who said when ur thinking of retiring, u already have tapped out. 

[NewColtsFan]

On 5/8/2022 at 12:41 PM, Moosejawcolt said:

His constant twittering. Me against the world. Always needing to prove people wrong. I was listening to a podcast cast and I believe it was Mike chappel. He had no idea what DL was talking about when saying media kind of maligned him.

Are you familiar with a guy named Michael Jordan?    He spent his entire career dealing with slights….   Some real….  Some not….  And some deliberately made up so he could have even more fuel to beat his opponent.  
 

I don’t know if that’s the case with Leonard, but you going after him for this reeks of more desperation.   You said we weren’t going to sign him — we did.   You said he wasn’t going to be good because he was hurt — and he was great.     Now this silliness….  And pointing to the Parcells quote?    You just try way,  WAY too hard to smear Leonard every chance you get. 

[krunk]

Id fall out of love with the game too if I had to play 17 games on a bum swollen ankle too.  That's a whole lot of pain to tolerate! Not to mention whatever personal stuff he dealt with.   I believe him as far as that being his take on last season and not how he currently feels. 

[Moosejawcolt]

2 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Are you familiar with a guy named Michael Jordan?    He spent his entire career dealing with slights….   Some real….  Some not….  And some deliberately made up so he could have even more fuel to beat his opponent.  
 

I don’t know if that’s the case with Leonard, but you going after him for this reeks of more desperation.   You said we weren’t going to sign him — we did.   You said he wasn’t going to be good because he was hurt — and he was great.     Now this silliness….  And pointing to the Parcells quote?    You just try way,  WAY too hard to smear Leonard every chance you get. 

DL ain't no Micheal.

[EastStreet]

 

9 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

I think it was Parcells who said when ur thinking of retiring, u already have tapped out. 

Leonard is an emotional guy and wears his heart on his sleeve. 

And even if he was in a dark place, his effort vs Jax was still better than most on our roster. 

After playing all year hurt, hearing ownership criticize vax status of players, the personal issues, and then watching the late season collapse, not surprised he was in a dark place given his typical emotional level. 

 

Per his comments, he's healthy now, and he's very encouraged by Bradley's new scheme which will prioritize the QB rush a lot more. And lets be honest, without him and his forced fumbles and INTs last season, our D would have been pathetic. The pressure on him should be lessoned this season if the pass rush truly materializes like we believe it will.